Report by Ben Davis

Former army man Lee Bradbury scored his first senior goal for Pompey and believes that there are plenty more to come. Coming into the game, Palace were on a hot streak, winning their last two league games 6-1 and a 4-0 win in the middle in the cup. Fenwick made one change to the side beaten at Oxford on Saturday with Robbie Pethick dropping down to the subs bench and making way for Paul Hall to return.
Pompey showed they were up for it when they created all the running in the opening minutes but they still lacked the finish their play deserves. Andy Turner had the first chance when he latched on to Simpson's excellent pass down the left but to his agony the ball just went wide with Nash beaten.
Paul Hall was becoming more involved and once being found by the creative McLoughlin he set up Bradbury but he volley over into the vacant Fratton End. The little striker then headed down Turner's cross to Bradbury and he missed the target again.
Palace though weren't going to lay down that easily as their form suggests and went close and Roberts' pass picked out Muscat who scraped the woodwork from close in. Pompey though were still the more likely side to score and Simpson almost capped a good night's performance so far give a brilliant goal.
The midfield man brushed past two defenders and just as he was about to shoot the ball got stuck under his boot and the chance went. Pompey's failure to take the number of chances they had proved costly in the 28th minute when Palace took the lead against the run of play.
Hopkin got the other side of Pompey's defence and surged towards goal where his shot was well blocked by Flahaven. It fell straight to Freedman who instead of shooting, or he may of been intending to, played a low ball to the far post where Veart tapped in.
That took the sting out of Pompey and were finding it hard to break down a well organized team. Yet with a minute to go to half-time Pompey grabbed the equalizer. Simpson knocked a ball down the left where Carter picked it up and put in a dangerous low cross which Hall met giving Nash no chance. He'll claim it although it looked as though Anderson may have got the last touch.
Palace claimed the lead in the 63rd minute as the pace and strength of Bruce Dyer caused Pompey's defence huge problems. He held off a challenge to go into the area and cross low to the far post where Freedman scored. With Scotland boss Craig Brown in the crowd he knew he had to play well and that goal would have done his chances a world of good.
With the visitor's on a high they went forward in search of the killer goal and two minutes later they almost got it. Freedman's header was fully claimed by Flahaven and as the ball crept towards the goal the young keeper just grabbed it in time.
Pompey survived again when Veart's fierce volley cannoned against the bar and away to safety. With Palace going forward it left gaps at the which Pompey could exploit but the final ball let them down.
Then with four minutes to go Pompey equalized again and it was a special moment for Lee Bradbury. Simpson laid it to Hall on the left who crossed with his right foot into the box where Bradbury, totally unmarked, headed down and in beyond Nash.
Pompey showed great character to fight back against clearly one of the promotion candidates this season. Pompey now travel up north to Tranmere where John Aldridge is still banging them in at the young age of 38.