Report by Ben Davis

Paul Hall continued where he left off last season in goal-scoring mood and his goal ten minutes from time earned Pompey a point which looked to have got away when City's new signing Gerard Wiekens put the home side in front. New striker John Aloisi received his clearance papers just in time to make his debut.
Fenwick decided to give David Waterman a first team place with Awford dropping down to the subs bench where he joined Hamilton Thorp and Robbie Pethick. City included Lee Bradbury and Kit Symons past a fitness test, but keeper Wright was out injured so Margetson stepped in.
The match hadn't even started when controversy struck when Oasis star Liam Gallagher went over to the Pompey fans and stuck up two fingers which could have easily started a riot, but luckily no-one came on to the pitch.
The match started with Pompey on the attack and won a dangerous free-kick when Aloisi was bundled over. McLoughlin crossed it into the middle of the box where Aloisi met it with a firm header which went just wide. City found it hard to break down Pompey's defence and after five minutes the visitors took the lead.
Ex-City player, Simpson played a fine ball to Svensson who got the better of Beesley and Aloisi latched onto the loose ball burying it past Margetson for a dream debut goal. City responded by putting the Pompey goal under pressure although the final ball and some intelligent defending kept them out.
Then Knight had to be at his very best when he dived full length to keep out Kinkladze's effort from 20-yards. That earned a corner which resulted in another which McLoughlin cleared, but the home side had moved up a gear and after 17 minutes they equalised. The Georgian international Kinkladze played a delightful return pass to Brannan and his fine cross was despatched beyond Knight by Rosler at the near post.
The first booking came a minute later when Thomson fouled his old team-mate Bradbury and from the free-kick Kinkladze hit another fine effort just over. There were fears not long after that Knight had pulled a thigh muscle but fortunately Pompey's loyal servant was fit enough to carry on.
Brannan and Bradbury went close for City before some clever thinking by Svensson almost put Pompey back in front. The Swede had spotted that Margetson was marginally off his line and the attempted chip went just over.
Suddenly Aloisi could have had a second goal when he ran on to Svensson's through ball and with Symons pulling at his shirt the Aussie stayed on his feet. Had he gone down Symons may have gone off for an early bath. Margetson though got a foot to the shot which was enough to take it inches wide. The Aussie, signed a week ago, went close again when McLoughlin and Igoe combined to set up him up and he drilled in a shot which crashed against the top of the bar and over.
City made a change at half-time bringing on Summerbee for Beesley. Yet the City fans were wondering when Bradbury would start to repay his massive record fee of 3.5 million. Pompey, of course, knew all about him, his strengths and weaknesses, so they stayed composed and defended well.
Bradbury's first meaningful effort at goal came when he turned well on the edge of the area and drove a low shot wide of Knight's goal. Minutes later the highly dangerous Kinkladze tried to beat Knight from a tight angle and won a corner instead. The home side kept the tempo up and after 55 minutes they took the lead.
Summerbee put in a deep cross to the far post where Bradbury headed it back for Wiekens to slide the ball past Knight and just inside the post. Another one of City's signings was full-back Tony Vaughan and when he powered forward on a 40-yard run he let fly with a long-range effort which wasn't that far way from troubling Knight.
Fenwick then made changes bringing on Pethick for Svensson, who had picked up a knock in an arial challenge, in the 65th minute and five minutes later Aloisi, who had faded, was replace by fellow Aussie Thorp. It seemed though the heat would get the better of them, but City decided to step down a gear which Pompey punished them for.
In the 80th minute an Igoe corner was met by team captain Whitbread and his header was cleared off the line by Brannan. Igoe picked the ball up and put in another cross which Thomson headed down for Hall to smash in a left foot volley past Margetson.
In the end it was fully deserved point for Pompey and it was a result Terry Fenwick would have been very happy with. The major plus point had to be the performance of John Aloisi who worked well with Svensson in attack.