Report by Ben Davis

Two bad defensive errors gifted promotion favourites Sheffield Utd all three points and at the end they fully deserved them. Pompey made a fight-back but they couldn't quite find that vital second goal and the two errors lost them the game.
Russell Perrett returned as he replaced the suspended Waterman while Lee Russell came in for Simpson who didn't even get on the bench. Alan McLoughlin also couldn't get into the side with Fenwick sticking with Pethick who had performed so well last Saturday in the win over Port Vale.
The home side immediately put the pressure on winning an early corner and after three minutes they took the lead. Perrett brought the ball forward but dwelt too long on it giving Deane the opportunity to nick it off the defender. The United striker, in his second spell at the club, found Fjortoft who strode forward and delicately chipped Flahavan who was just off his line.
Pompey briefly tired to steady themselves as they won a series of free-kicks in United's territory but on each occasion the home side's defenders cleared easily. Already a goal down, Pompey fell behind even further with another well taken goal. Thomson played a woeful back-pass to Flahavan which Fjortoft latched onto. The Norwegian went down under Flahavan's challenge but picked himself up and from a couple of yards from the by-line he chipped the ball over Perrett and just inside the far post.
Still Pompey couldn't create a decent chance and United were hungry for more as Deane's well hit shot was clung onto by Flahavan. In the 35th minute Fjortoft set up Patterson on the edge of Pompey's area and the midfielder's effort flew inches past Flahavan's left-hand post. Fjortoft was simply on fire and Pompey simply couldn't deal with him. Flahavan need to save from close range to deny him his hat-trick and minutes later he blasted a shot high and wide.
Pompey tried to use Hall's pace to get them back into the game. The Jamaican twice got down the left wing in oceans of space but on each occasion his cross wasn't good enough with Svensson and Aloisi disappointed with the service they didn't get.
The home side continued to threaten and shortly after the restart Whitbread fouled Deane in a dangerous position and conceded a free-kick. Whitehouse whipped the ball in and Flahavan was quickly off his line to claim the kick as the United strikers moved in.
Svensson's afternoon then came to an end as Thorp came on where his extra height could be used to unsettle the United defenders. The pressure though was kept up by United with Patterson again sending in another effort which saw Flahavan scrambling along his line to see it go just wide.
In the 57th minute Pompey pulled a goal back which was some reward for the way they had stuck with the battle which United were easily winning. An Igoe corner was completely missed by Tracey and Perrett stormed in the thunder a header home for a rare goal.
Pompey's goalscorer though was needed at the other end where he deflected a Fjortoft thumper behind for a corner after Deane had done well to find his striking partner. Fjortoft got in shot from the corner which Pethick this time deflected away to safety. Then Turner came on for Igoe, although nothing changed as United kept on attacking and won a free-kick resulting in a booking for Thomson as he fouled Whitehouse.
United's young, promising, full-back Quinn then charged forward and ended a neat move by firing a shot against the post in the 72nd minute. Aloisi then claimed for a penalty when his shot struck Patterson after the Aussie had turned well in the area.
Pompey though couldn't get the all important equaliser although they didn't really deserve it. They certainly battled it out and on paper the result doesn't look as bad as the performance. However, it is best to get this game out of the way and concentrate on correcting those defensive errors for future matches.