A brilliant effort from 20 yards, curled into the top corner from winger Allan
Johnston five minutes from time, salvaged all three points for Sunderland and
saw them move back into the top two in the First Division.
Kevin Phillips' 26th goal of the season had given Sunderland a 16th minute
lead only for Paul Hall to equalise 17 minutes from time.
Pompey's much improved second half showing was rewarded with a 73rd minute
equaliser from centre-forward Hall after a terrible error by home keeper Lionel
Perez.
The Frenchman looked to have cost his side the victory until Johnston's
marvellous strike after he cut inside and let fly.
Sunderland boss Reid was forced into one change with Jody Craddock missing his
first game in 30 with a hamstring strain. He was replaced by Darren Holloway who
moved in from full-back with Chris Makin coming at right-back.
Portsmouth arrived in the North East seeking to add to a seven-game unbeaten
record under Alan Ball, including five victories.
If the Wearsiders were to reclaim the second promotion spot they had to make
certain of all three points with Middlesbrough not playing until tomorrow
lunchtime.
Portsmouth boss Ball clearly feared the Sunderland attack selecting six
defenders and only one attacker.
Sunderland started nervously, finding it difficult to find any space as
Portsmouth often packed ten men behind the ball.
However, there was always the feeling that if Sunderland got one goal it would
throw Alan Ball's tactics into disarray.
And this was the case in the 16th minute when Phillips headed home his 26th
goal of a superb season.
Michael Gray swapped passes with Johnston before crossing into the box for
Phillips to head home from eight yards.
However, Portsmouth finally woke up to the idea that they would have to score
to get anything from the game.
Sunderland were playing without the usual width on the right, Nicky Summerbee
sitting on the subs' bench, and Lee Clark was given the role of getting the ball
into the box from the right - something he failed to do in a disappointing
opening for the former Newcastle star.
The second half was so different with Portsmouth showing more ambition and
they soon began to find holes in the Sunderland defence. Substitute John Aloisi,
the visitors' leading scorer with 12 goals this season, made the difference.
At last Hall had someone to play up alongside him and in the 52nd minute the
Australian substitute headed a Robbie Pethick cross wide.
It remained a scrappy game with few glimpses of the Sunderland attacking play
which has made the Stadium of Light such a fortress. In fact as the game went
into its final quarter Portsmouth looked the more likely.
And when their goal arrived in the 73rd minute it once again highlighted the
occasional eccentricity of French keeper Perez.
With little danger as Williams prepared to head back to the keeper, Perez
charged out of his box and collided with the defender. Hall controlled the ball
before rolling it into an empty net to the tremendous embarrassment of the
Sunderland rearguard.
Fortunately, Johnston's beauty saved their blushes.
Teams:
Sunderland: Perez, Makin, Gray, Clark, Holloway, Williams, Ball,
Rae (Summerbee 77), Quinn (Dichio 73), Phillips, Johnston.
Subs Not Used: Ord.
Booked: Gray, Holloway.
Goals: Phillips 16, Johnston 85.
Portsmouth: Flahavan, Pethick, Robinson, McLoughlin, Whitbread,
Awford, Vlachos (Aloisi 34), Waterman (Carter 86), Hall, Hillier,
Thomson.
Subs Not Used: Allen.
Booked: Pethick, Hall.
Goals: Hall 73.
Att: 38,134
Ref: D Pugh (Wirral).
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