Report by Ben Davis

Pompey's biggest crowd of the season watched the blues cut into visitors Queens Park Rangers with a fine second half display. In-fact it looked like a totally different team had come out after their nervous first half performance. Robbie Pethick got the perfect Christmas present as he scored only his second ever goal for Pompey and it'll be one to remember.
Adrian Whitbread was still out and David Hillier picked up an injury in the Charlton game. In came David Waterman in defence, Craig Foster in midfield and John Aloisi partnered Svensson in attack. Fitzroy Simpson was left out completely with Turner moving into his position.
The opening stages were scrappy although Pompey were finding the spaces but did little with it. Hall was being allowed plenty of space down the right in which to run into and the lack of supporting blue shirts meant he was nudged off the ball easily. Defensively Pompey looked very shaky with Waterman finding his feet after returning to the first team and his main task was to stop the threat of Trevor Sinclair, Rangers 6 million pound rated winger.
The first shooting effort came from the visitors when a corner was cleared only as far as Peacock who from the edge of the area fired a shot a couple a yards past the post. A comedy error then almost gifted QPR the lead when Knight mis-kicked Pethick's back pass on the six-yard line. Fortunately the keeper stopped the ball from rolling in to save his own blushes.
Some slick football by QPR should have really ended in them taking the lead. Sheron picked up possession in Pompey's half and played a clever ball past Thomson to release Spencer in on goal. Knight though stood up well and deflected the striker's shot away for a corner with his legs.
On 31 minutes though QPR did take the lead and it will be a goal Terry Fenwick will not be pleased with. Sinclair swung over a corner which Ready flicked on at the near post for Sheron whose initial shot was brilliantly saved by Knight but the ball ran loose leaving Sheron with a simple tap in a yard out.
Pompey though responded well and drew level four minutes later. Svensson was brought down 25-yards out and from McLoughlin's lay-off, which caught the QPR defence out, Pethick drove a superb low shot past Roberts. That got the crowd behind the team and it soon became obvious that the confidence was flowing around the team as their passing greatly improved.
Yet QPR went very close to regaining their initial lead when from Sinclair's cross Sheron out jumped Thomson and sent a header against the post with Awford on hand to hack it away for a corner. That was cleared and Pompey went into the break knowing the opportunity for getting three points was still there for the taking.
Pompey's game improved in the second half with Craig Foster the pick of the players with his battling work in midfield and his simple but effective distribution of the ball. QPR on the other hand looked disinterested with their defence continuing to hoof long balls forward. Yet they cut out the threats that Pompey created, particularly down the flanks where Turner and Hall were posing problems.
It took just over fifteen minutes of the second half for Pompey to get reward for their good play as they took the lead. Foster played a ball to Hall's feet in the area and as he span Brazier the QPR full-back blatantly pulled him back for a certain penalty. Mcloughlin shimmied and scored in off the post to his relief. The crowd were now roaring and it was clear it was having a major effect on the game.
QPR though nearly levelled things up when Quashie's well struck 20-yard volley flew fractionally wide. At the other end another Turner run and cross was met at the near post by Svensson but Ready got in the way to block it for a corner. From that Pompey might have got a third. McLoughlin's cross was headed down by Thomson into the six-yard box where all hell broke loose. Aloisi had the better opportunity but a Rangers player got in the way.
Andy Turner was certainly having a bright game down the left and after being released on another run, he got into the area and fired a powerful shot just wide of the far post. With ten minutes to go Pompey did get a third which settled the match. Svensson, who had put himself about all match, picked up possession, swapped passes with Foster, fooled Yates and from the edge of the box drove in a fierce shot. Roberts could only parry it giving Hall a simple header into an open goal.
Another long ranger effort, this time by Murry, by QPR flew inches over the bar but the game was virtually over as a contest. How QPR's new manger wished he had stayed at West Brom since when he was last down at Fratton his team won.
It was a fine second half performance and one which will give Fenwick hope that better days are ahead in the new year although there is a tricky fixture a Norwich to deal with first.