Report by Ben Davis

Pompey slumped to their third successive defeat against a Norwich side in top form. Fenwick gave Lee Bradbury his first start of the season and to see if he could improve Pompey's attack. Sammy Igoe also returned in place of Russell Perrett who dropped down to the subs' bench. Also on the bench was Jamie Howell who had been released from Arsenal and has been given a chance at Fratton Park. Deon Burton again wasn't in the line up.
Within a couple of minutes Bradbury had the first chance of the game when he glanced Carter's right-wing cross past the post. Pompey were the livelier with Igoe doing all the running in midfield and he saw a shot blocked by Newman after he had charged down Polsten's pass.
Igoe then sent Hall away down the right to win a corner which from Simpson's cross Russell headed just wide. The impressive Carter was working his usual hardest and he and Turner set up Igoe who shot across the face of the goal.
In the 18th minute Pompey were very close to going a goal behind when the highly rated Eadie hit a stunning 20-yard shot which cannoned off the cross bar and Pompey were let off when Akinbiyi failed to make the most of the rebound.
Pompey though were still marginally the better side with Carter producing a fine performance yet Pompey never really looked like scoring with Hall drifting in and out of the game to much.
Norwich went close to scoring again when Akinbiyi headed O'Neill's cross inches wide with no Pompey defender around him. However, when Pompey attacked Norwich launched a counter attack which ended with a goal. Gunn got down well to save Hall's header from Carter's cross. The bald-headed keeper kicked it clear where Adams picked it up and laid it off to Crook who smashed in a low 20-yard shot which went in via the post.
Pompey put on the pressure again through Carter but it was the same old story with nobody able the apply the finishing touch. Three minutes from half-time Eadie latched on to O'Neill's back heal but the midfield dynamo drove the shot wide.
The last chance of the half fell to Pompey but McLoughlin's head from Simpson's cross had no power to really trouble Gunn.
Pompey pushed forward right from the start with Carter being tripped by Milligan 30-yards out. Simpson's free-kick was put behind by Turner though. The threat of Eadie was beginning but his crosses were unable to find a yellow shirted player in the box.
Carter then went on a mazey run past three players before being brought down just outside the area. McLoughlin's kick went straight into Gunn's arms and so another chanced had been wasted.
Pompey kept the momentum going with Igoe continuing to run around in midfield and he won another corner. That came back to Igoe and his cross was met by Bradbury but again Gunn wasn't called into a demanding save.
Norwich's influential midfield player Crook was then forced off the pitch after a collision with Pethick and while he was off Pompey won another corner. Carter swung it in, Gunn was caught in no-mans land and Bradbury bundled the ball in but the referee had spotted a push on the keeper.
Fenwick then made another unexplainable change by bringing off Simpson for Perrett, a defender when your side is a goal down doesn't seem quite right. That did mean Awford could push forward more and he did exactly that but his shot from the edge of the area went straight at Gunn. To the delight of the crowd Hall went off in place of Durnin.
For all Pompey's grafting they couldn't create on decent chance at the end and if it was for Awford's brilliant interceptions in the six-yard box Norwich would have wrapped things up anyway.