PORTSMOUTH 0
NEWCASTLE UNITED 0
Premier League
Fratton Park
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Kick-off 5.15pm

Craig Hope reports from Fratton Park ...

MATCH REPORT

NEWCASTLE United made it five games unbeaten following a goalless draw with FA Cup finalists Portsmouth at Fratton Park.

In a game of limited goal-mouth action, it was England strikers Jermain Defoe and Michael Owen who came closest to breaking the deadlock.

First Defoe should have scored when picked out by Muntari unmarked inside the area, the former Spurs man volleying wide from just ten yards out with only Harper to beat on 52 minutes.

At the other end Owen was only denied a fifth goal in as many matches when James diverted his close range strike over the crossbar with an instinctive headed-save after 70 minutes.

SECOND HALF ACTION (click refresh for latest)

That's it, goalless down here on the South Coast with Michael Owen and Jermain Defoe seeing glorious second-half chances go begging.

90+1min - Joey Barton sees yellow for a deliberate lunge on Kranjcar with the Croatian bursting forward.

There will be three miniutes added time - can either side find a winner?

88min - Martins has a chance to win it for the visitors but draws his low strike wide of the target from what was in fairness a tight angle.

84min - It looks like Owen is going to get on the end of Geremi's deep set-piece but the delivery is slightly too high and a grateful James is able to gather.

81min - Alan Smith is introduced with Mark Viduka making way.

76min - Nugent immediately puts pressure on England under-21 team-mate Steven Taylor with the Three Lions skipper heading behind for a corner rather than take any chances. Davis' delivery is long and the unmarked Defoe is unlucky not to net as his sweet volley flies inches over the crossbar.

75min - Kanu makes way for David Nugent.

72min - Geremi is in the thick of the action and his 20-yard strike almost catches James out but the England stopper recovers to save in style.

70min - Geremi is forced wide but still manages to get a shot away only for Bouba Diop to block at the expense of a corner. Geremi's delivery is only half-cleared and lands back at the feet of the Cameroon star, again he crosses, Distin tries to hack clear but slices wildly, the ball drops for Owen six yards out and he is only denied a fifth goal in as many games by an instinctive save as James diverts the ball over the crossbar with his head. This time Pompey do clear.

67min - With the match heading into the final quarter it's been fairly quiet for the last few minutes and the game needs a goal.

61min - The Magpies have two corners in quick succession but nothing comes of Geremi's deliveries and the hosts break, Defoe works a yard for the shot on the edge of the area and is only denied an opening goal by Harper who does well to get down low to divert the ball around the upright. Davis takes and Harper claims amid pressure from Hreidarsson.

60min - Glen Johnson skips by Barton on the right-hand touchline and rolls the ball into Kanu, the Nigerian finds the full-back who has continued his run into the penalty area but his powerful, left-foot strike deflects off Defoe and luckily for the visitors flies wide of the target.

56min - Geremi breaks up play on halfway and slips it to Barton who in turn frees Martins, the Nigerian takes too long to shoot and in the end sees a low strike from a narrow angle saved by James at the foot of his near post.

54min - Faye looses the run of Defoe as Muntari switches play looking for the Pompey frontman, the ball lands perfectly for Defoe to take aim at Harper's target but his side-foot volley bounces wide of goal when really he should've have tested the United stopper.

52min - A patient United attacking move sees Geremi released on the right, the midfielder crosses at pace but it's Campbell who gets there first to volley behind for a corner. Geremi takes and Distin heads clear at the near post.

49min - James tries to start a Pompey breakaway but throws straight to Geremi 40 yards out, the Cameroon star traps the ball dead but sees his ambitous chip clear the crossbar with the keeper backpedalling.

United get the second period started with neither side having made any changes.

FIRST HALF ACTION

That's it, goalless at the break at Fratton Park.

45min - The Geordies have another corner as Oba Martins sees his shot deflect behind off the studs of Campbell. The ball is worked short and, when it is eventually delivered by Butt, Steven Taylor is unlucky to see a spectacular scissor-kick bounce wide of James' target.

42min - Glen Johnson swipes at Enrique and the former Chelsea man becomes the first man to enter Phil Dowd's book. Geremi takes from deep and James claims but is unable to keep the ball in play and carries it over the by-line for a corner. Geremi crosses and Viduka is able to turn a snap shot goalwards amid a crowd of bodies but James saves on his goal-line.

41min - Barton is penalised for a trip on Muntari and the Ghana international picks himself up to take the resulting free-kick, his low strike cannot get past the wall and United clear the loose ball.

38min - Martins gets away from the challenge of Davis midway inside the Pompey half, the Nigerian only has one thing on his mind and fires a 30-yard effort goalwards which clears James' crossbar.

32min - A moment of panic for the Magpies at the back as Muntari's cross deflects off the knee of Kanu, Steve Harper is wrong-footed but luckily the ball bounces wide of the upright.

29min - Geremi picks out Barton in space on halfway and the United midfielder immediately springs Viduka clear on the right, the Aussie looks for strike partner Martins with an early pass in-behind the Pompey backline but the ball has too much weight and runs away for a throw-in - it was a real chance had Viduka's ball been more accurate.

26min - Faye needs treatment after a heavy fall in the area following a brave, headed clearance from Kranjcar's wicked free-kick.

24min - Owen nips away from two Pompey challenges inside the area but is denied a shot on goal as Hreidarsson slides to concede a corner. Geremi takes and Faye heads high and wide at the near post.

23min - Davis tries to slip Defoe clear and it looks like the former Spurs man is going to get a run on goal until Harper races from his line to snatch at his feet.

17min - Kranjcar's free-kick is blocked by Faye and the break is on for United, Martins scampers after Barton's ball on the left but when he goes to cross the delivery fails to beat Hreidarsson and the hosts clear.

14min - At the other end Kranjcar has a shot from distance but it's never troubling Steve Harper and he saves with ease.

13min - A rush of blood from David James sees the keeper race outside his box and slice an attempted clearance at the expense of a corner - cue "dodgy keeper" chants from the Toon Army behind the goal. Geremi takes but the Pompey stopper goes some way to redeeming himself by claiming low at the near post with Owen lurking.

11min - Jose Enrique goes by the challenge of Johnson on the left and cuts infield, with few options the Spaniard decides to have a go but his right-foot shot is always rising and clears the Pompey crossbar.

4min - Viduka holds off the challenge of Campbell but is tripped by the Pompey skipper on the angle of the penalty area and United have a free-kick. Geremi beats the wall with a wicked delivery, it's an excellent ball begging to be turned goalwards but sadly for the visitors it's James who claims inside his six-yard box.

1min - Martins robs Bouba Diop on halfway and tries to catch out James with an audacious 45-yard effort, it's certainly ambitious and has the away fans on their feet but the backpedalling stopper is equal to it and gathers with relative ease.

It's a bit blustery down here on the South Coast but the sun has broken through the clouds as the hosts get the game started with United attacking the end where the travelling Geordies are housed.

TEAM NEWS

STEVEN Taylor returns to the starting line-up having missed last weekend's 3-0 victory over Reading because of illness.

The 22-year-old will partner Abdoulaye Faye at the heart of the defence with David Edgar dropping down to the bench at the expense of Lamine Diatta.

Michael Owen skippers the side and will be looking to net for the fifth game in succession.

Former Magpie Sylvain Distin starts for Pompey.

TEAMS

PFC: David James, Glen Johnson, Herman Hreidarsson, Sol Campbell (c), Sylvain Distin, Papa Bouba Diop, Sean Davis, Sulley Muntari, Niko Kranjcar, Nwanko Kanu, Jermain Defoe
Subs: Lauren, David Nugent, Richard Hughes, Pedro Mendes, Asmir Begovic

NUFC: Steve Harper, Habib Beye, Jose Enrique, Abdoulaye Faye, Steven Taylor, Nicky Butt, Geremi, Joey Barton, Oba Martins, Michael Owen (c), Mark Viduka
Subs: Fraser Forster, Damien Duff, Alan Smith, David Edgar, Andy Carroll

Referee: Phil Dowd
Attendance: 20, 507

TOON @ FRATTON PARK - Premiership Years

2006/07: 1-2 Emre (pen)
2005/06: 0-0
2004/05: 1-1 Dyer
2003/04: 1-1 Bellamy

FACTS AND FIGURES

For Newcastle;

1. Won last three after 14 without victory, now 5th in current form league.

2. Won 3 of 12 league and cup games under Keegan.

3. Conceded 58 goals, only Reading (61) and Derby (68) have shipped more.

4. The tally of 38 points after 33 matches is still their lowest ever to this stage of a PL season.

5. Need 5 more points from their 5 remaining fixtures to avoid their lowest ever total in this league; that being 43 last term.

For Portsmouth;

1. Have never lost this season after opening the scoring

REF WATCH

Phil Dowd - Second time this season following 2-1 defeat at Reading

TICKET NEWS

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