It took a Geordie to end Newcastle United's winning run of eight matches as Steve Stone proved deadly from three yards against the hometown club he never played for.

It was the same story in December when a deflected shot brought Stone's only other goal to date this season so you cannot blame the Magpies for hating the sight of the man who has twice denied them a Barclays Premiership win this season.

This time he netted a tap-in his granny could have converted in first-half stoppage time after Lomana LuaLua, who did manage a few appearances for Newcastle, twisted and turned past Steve Carr before trying a cross-shot which beat Shay Given but just would not have made the goal but for Stone's added toe-poke.

Pompey - and Stone - deserved it. They had gone behind only four minutes earlier to a strange goal after making most of the running.

It was reward for Kieron Dyer's persistence when he nudged the ball home after a Carr free-kick.

What was a surprise to everybody was that referee Matt Messias ended up with nine bookings at the finish of a game that was no more than rudely competitive.

The teams swapped attacking punches pretty much like their players exchanged pushes in a bad-tempered first half when ineffective referee Messias issued five yellow cards - four to Portsmouth - but missed several other more deserving culprits.

And with little between the sides in the opening 43 minutes the first goal looked as if it would be vital importance and Dyer was beginning to make a nuisance of himself to the Pompey defence.

He was unlucky in the 35th minute when he turned past Dejan Stefanovic on a clear run to goal only to be judged by referee Matthias to have nudged off the Serbian defender.

But after a huge Pompey escape in the 38th minute when Laurent Robert, notable up to then only for falling over from Linvoy Primus' honest challenges, rose at the far post to head Carr's cross against the bar.

Tempers frayed again in a set-to between several players after a trip by Yakubu and the Nigerian striker and Carr both ended up cautioned before Newcastle took a lucky lead on 43 minutes.

Pompey cleared a Carr free-kick but when Lee Bowyer's cross came over from the right Primus - who with Arjan de Zeeuw policed Alan Shearer - appeared to lose his bearings and headed the ball back towards his own goal where Dyer nipped in and headed it over the line.

Pompey heads hung but not for long. Stone - who earned a point with a rare goal at St James' Park earlier this season - was the finisher for their first half stoppage-time leveller, tapping in from three yards after LuaLua's dazzling run and cross shot looked to be sending the ball wide.

Portsmouth are still at least two wins short of absolute Premiership security for another season and Newcastle could still end Shearer's last season with nothing despite their current form.

But both showed a grit, determination and splash of skills worthy of the top division.

Yakubu, against the club who wanted to buy him in the transfer window but baulked at £10million, showed more appetite than of late and might have had a couple of goals to add to this season's 14.

But the Magpies, despite some creative play and sound defence, rarely troubled young 'keeper Jamie Ashdown who came in when Pompey's reluctant boss Velimir Zajec decided to rest his new keeper Kostas Chalkias who has not been a universal hit with all the home fans.

Ashdown saved well from Bowyer and Robert but Yakubu looked up for the fight against the club who almost bought him and twice went close at the other end in a somewhat calmer second half.

Teams

Portsmouth Ashdown, Primus, Stefanovic, De Zeeuw, Taylor, Stone (O'Neil 86), Skopelitis, Cisse, Berger (Hughes 81), Yakubu (Fuller 85), LuaLua.

Subs Not Used: Chalkias, Kamara.

Booked: Skopelitis, De Zeeuw, Primus, Yakubu, LuaLua.

Goals: Stone 45.

Newcastle Given, Carr, Andrew O'Brien, Boumsong, Hughes, Bowyer, Butt (Kluivert 87), Faye (Jenas 68), Robert (Milner 76), Dyer, Shearer.

Subs Not Used: Harper, Taylor.

Booked: Carr, Bowyer, Andrew O'Brien, Butt.

Goals: Dyer 43.

Att: 20,165

Ref: M Messias (S Yorkshire).