Alan McLoughlin will probably want to forget this game against title challengers Middlesbrough for he was the man that could have won the game for Pompey. When John Aloisi was brought crashing to the ground by Boro keeper Beresford McLoughlin had the opportunity to put Pompey in front from the penalty spot. However Beresford dived the right way and the chance had gone. Pompey though should take a lot of heart from their spirited performance and generally were the better side.
Alan Ball was hit by the loss of Steve Claridge who had gone back to Leicester so Mathias Svensson partnered Aloisi in attack. Other than that it was the same team which beat Swindon last Saturday. Middlesbrough boss Bryan Robson kept the same line-up which thrashed Swidon 6-0 in midweek. The players came out to see the stands full with the visitors attracting the biggest gate of the season.
Pompey were on the attack immediately with Aloisi being fouled on the left side of the area. Robinson's cross was cleared but a mistake by Maddison gave it back to Vlachos who won a throw-in close to Middlesbrough's area. Svensson received the throw by Pethick and won the first corner of the game which Whitbread headed wide from McLoughlin's cross.
Pethick then made a vital challenge on Merson when the Middlesbrough star charged into the area after a pass from the Italian Branca. The visitor's though were struggling to find any rhythm and it was Pompey who looked the most likely to score first. Aloisi turned well 20-yards out and with only the goal in front of him but his low shot was easily gathered by Beresford.
Svensson wasted another opening when a tackle on Aloisi by Vickers fell to the Swede but dragged a shot well wide of the target from the edge of the area. After a couple of dangerous free-kicks for Middlesbrough, which Pompey easily cleared, the northerners went close to taking the lead. Kinder moved forward from his full-back position and from the right he put in a cross which Armstrong headed just wide.
Flahavan then had a scare when his poor clearance from a back-pass fell straight to Merson but he surprisingly hit a shot miles wide of the keeper's goal. Flahavan cleared up field where Vlachos flicked it on for Svensson to chase but he leant back and fired high over the bar and into the Fratton End. Back came Middlesbrough and the crowd were incensed when a good looking Vlachos tackle was penalised by referee Kevin Lynch. The free-kick was in shooting range and Townsend's effort dipped just of Flahavan's bar.
Svensson was inches away from putting Pompey in front shortly after the half-hour. Pethick, who was working hard down the right, put in a cross which Aloisi headed down across Beresford's goal and Svensson couldn't quite get the vital touch to turn it in. The impressive Hillier then fashioned a chance for himself when the Middlesbrough defence was drawn away by the runs of Svensson and Aloisi, but the midfielder's shot flew just wide.
Pompey then had a great chance to take the lead two minutes into added time at the end of the first half. McLoughlin sent Aloisi away into the area and the Aussie was brought down by Beresford for a penalty. The usually dependable McLoughlin stepped up but Beresford guessed right and dived to his left to claim the shot.
Pethick put a shot wide early on in the second half after Hillier had set the wing-back up. Minutes later though some hesitation between Whitbread and Flahavan almost saw Middlesbrough taking the lead. Flahavan was unsure on whether to come for a long ball from defence and that forced Whitbread to virtually get down on his hands and knees and head the ball back to the keeper. Armstrong though just got there ahead of the keeper and fortunately knocked the ball wide of the post. The Pompey duo made their feelings felt to each other afterwards.
Merson was then though on goal after a neat pass by Branca. Flahavan though came out well and took the sting out of the striker's shot. However, he couldn't prevent it going towards the net and Whitbread was there to hack it off the line for a corner which Pompey dealt with. Middlesbrough's Thomas then earned a yellow card when he crudely brought Aloisi to the ground as the striker looked to get Pompey back on the attack. Svensson's afternoon came to an end when he was replaced by Hall as Ball hoped the forward would pose the Middlesbrough defence some new problems. Straight away he got past Kinder and won another corner which McLoughlin poorly delivered.
Had Hall been more awake he could have profited on a mistake by Kinder who misjudge McLoughlin's forward pass. Hall didn't expect the defender to miss the ball and it ran on too quickly for him and Beresford claimed easily. Merson then hit a superb volley way out on the right hand touch-line which Flahavan had to flick over as the ball dropped towards the goal. The former Arsenal man was allowed more space minutes later and he fired in a shot which whizzed past Flahavan's right hand post.
Martin Allen and John Durnin came on for Aloisi and McLoughlin as Ball looked to hold out for a draw. Robinson found himself with a shooting chance late on after he worked well with Hall but Beresford was equal to the effort. A draw it was but Ball will look back at what might have been had McLoughlin's penalty gone in. On a more positive note a few months ago Pompey would have easily settled for a goalless draw against the league leaders but now they have shown that they can compete well with the bigger boys in the league.