Aston Villa set up a Midlands derby with West Brom in the fourth round of the
FA Cup as a goal from Savo Milosevic was sufficient to dispose of crisis club
Portsmouth.
Milosevic struck after 21 minutes to move level with fit-again Dwight Yorke
and Ian Taylor as the club's leading marksman with his sixth goal of the
campaign.
But it was a frustrating night for Brian Little's side and their supporters in
the 23,355 crowd - the lowest of the season at Villa Park - as the anticipated
goal rush never materialised.
Portsmouth, without a manager after Terry Fenwick's sacking and bottom of the
First Division, rode their luck initially as Villa threatened to win at a canter
as they created countless chances.
But they tended to be over-elaborate, despite the efforts in midfield of the
ever-reliable Ian Taylor, and the fans vented their anger in increasing volume
towards their side as the match wore on.
In the end the home side were relieved that Portsmouth striker John Durnin had
an off-night in front of goal as he missed two golden chances and headed against
the bar.
Little brought back Yorke for his first game in nearly six weeks after a calf
operation and switched Simon Grayson to the right-back position he occupied
during his time at Leicester.
Villa were quickly into their stride, with Grayson and Alan Wright finding
plenty of space down the flanks, and the warning signs were there for Pompey
before Milosevic's opener.
Steve Staunton flashed a 35-yard free-kick narrowly wide and Milosevic headed
the impressive Riccardo Scimeca's cross into the side-netting from the narrowest
of angles.
But the deadlock was broken in the 21st minute.
Staunton's long ball was
turned on by Collymore into the path of Milosevic, who steadied himself before
making no mistake from close range.
Collymore then thudded a 25-yard effort against the base of a post and Pompey
keeper Alan Knight was relieved to see the rebound hit body and bounce to
safety.
The woodwork again came to Portsmouth's rescue when Scimeca released Wright
down the left and he lobbed the ball over Knight but onto the crossbar.
Milosevic then flicked Collymore's cross wide from point blank range but
Pompey then rallied and they created two decent openings of their own at the end
of the half.
First Durnin, who had gone close with an early header, screwed a shot inches
wide and then Villa keeper Mark Bosnich blocked a close range effort from Paul
Hall.
The second-half began with Villa back on the offensive and Knight did well to
tip over a fierce volley from Mark Draper, who connected with a left-wing cross
from Milosevic.
But Villa had a let-off on the hour when Durnin, under pressure from Ugo
Ehiogu, sent a header against the crossbar from Lee Russell's centre.
For all their territorial dominance, Villa failed to kill off the tie,
although Milosevic continued to look threatening.
He forced Knight to save a header from a Grayson cross and sliced a shot wide
from the edge of the area when in space.
Villa finished on top, with Taylor's cross-shot flying inches wide and Knight
tipping behind a curling shot from Milosevic.
Teams
Aston Villa: Bosnich, Scimeca, Staunton, Wright, Ehiogu, Grayson,
Taylor, Draper (Hendrie 82), Milosevic, Yorke, Collymore.
Subs Not Used: Charles, Joachim, Nelson, Oakes.
Booked: Ehiogu.
Goals: Milosevic 21.
Portsmouth: Knight, Pethick, Thomson, McLoughlin, Whitbread,
Awford, Hall, Simpson (Carter 82), Durnin, Foster (Svensson 66),
Russell.
Subs Not Used: Waterman, Igoe, Flahavan.
Att: 23,355
Ref: U D Rennie (Sheffield).
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