Alan Ball's return to Fratton Park was overshadowed by a Sheffield Utd fan who attacked linesman Mr Martin and Alan Knight's terrible gaff which gifted United an equaliser. Martin was attacked after referee Mark Halsey sent off Blades keeper Simon Tracey. He was unconscious for five minutes as he was stretchered off with the crowd stunned at what had happened. It took at least 10 minutes to calm everything down in the corner where the away fans were closest to the Pompey fans.
New loan signing Michalis Vlachos made his debut at left back with Russell Perrett dropping to the subs bench. Robbie Pethick and Andy Awford also moved into defence after missing the Oxford game and Sammy Igoe returned after suspension. Craig Foster moved back into midfield with Paul Hall and Fitzroy Simpson away with Jamaica. Ball included 18-year old defender Aaron Cook on the bench alongside Svensson who was also back from suspension.
Ball got a huge cheer as he moved into the dug out and after five minutes he could have had the perfect start. Claridge and Carter worked an opening for Durnin who curled a great shot from the edge of the area against Tracey's left hand post. Claridge was looking bright as he put pressure on the United defenders and overall Pompey had made an encouraging start to life under Ball.
Knight comfortably saved Marcello's low shot before Claridge headed a Pethick pass into Durnin's feet and the striker drove a shot wide. Carter then found himself in space 20-yards out after Claridge and Durnin had pulled the defenders away with clever runs. The tricky winger though blazed a shot over the bar.
Pompey then took the lead on 19 minutes with Claridge the creator. He initially won an high ball and found Durnin who in turn found Igoe. The little midfielder picked out Claridge who had darted in the area and the striker's cross was tapped home by Foster. Pompey continued to put their visitors under pressure with McLoughlin outstanding in midfield whilst at the back new boy Vlachos was making a very impressive debut with some excellent tackles.
Knight's blushes were spared when he gave a clearance straight to Stuart who was muscled out of possession by a posse of defenders. In the 27th Igoe had a great chance to put Pompey further ahead when from Carter's fine cross he was left unmarked at the far post with Tracey rooted to his line. The midfielder though horribly mis-timed the volley and the shot went well wide of the target.
United were then gifted an equaliser on 31 minutes. Knight claimed a United cross before giving a throw out straight to former Pompey defender Lee Sandford whose cross back into the area was caught by the keeper, but he lost his bearings and carried the ball over the line for a bizarre own goal.
Jimmy Carter was showing what the Fratton fans had missed with some dazzling skills which left the United defenders very uneasy. He created chances for Igoe and Claridge but neither player could profit.
Then things went right out of control when Tracey was sent off for handling outside the area. Initially McLoughlin had sent Igoe through on goal and he was stopped when Tracey raced out of his area and handled Igoe's attempt to play the ball past him. The referee gave a free-kick and it seemed certain Tracey had to go, but he went over to the linesman for confirmation. A red card was shown but then a Sheffield United fan raced onto the pitch and attacked linesman Mr Martin who laid motionless on the ground.
Worse came when both sets of supporters tried to get onto the pitch but fortunately the stewards and police had secured the area before anything nasty could arise. The United fan was taken away and the Mr Martin was carried off on a stretcher. United defender Derry went in goal and didn't have much to do as the free-kick hit the wall.
The hope was that Pompey would pepper the United goal with shots, but it was the team down to ten men that started the better and may well have taken the lead after 50 minutes. Vlachos made his first real mistake of the afternoon when he allowed Hutchinson through down the right and his cross was just missed by Saunders in the centre.
Pompey's first effort in the second half came when Derry punched away a cross from the right as far a Durnin who struck a first time volley over the bar into the Fratton End. Pompey were beginning to take control as they won a series of corners which sadly came to nothing. Defensively United were battling hard with Claridge and Durnin unable to shake off their markers and both lost out when put through on goal.
In the 67th minute Ball saw that Igoe wasn't performing that well and was coming under some stick from the crowd so on came Svensson to increase the pressure on Derry, who to be fair hadn't really been tested thanks to the defence in front of him.
The big Swede was on the charge seconds later as he battled past two United defenders down the right before cutting inside and firing in a disappointing shot which Derry easily saved. Yet United still came forward and Knight redeemed himself when he tipped Saunders's well struck shot around the post after the striker had latched on to Hutchinson's through ball.
Play swiftly moved back towards the Fratton End where Vlachos almost marked a fine debut with a goal. Another corner went in from McLoughlin and Vlachos picked up United's poor clearance and fired just over the bar. Pompey though were still lacking the cutting edge to kill United and a draw was always on the cards in the end.
The attack on the linesman will disappoint Ball more than anything but he would have been more than happy with the way his side played. The players showed that they were prepared to fight with some gusty tackles going in, although Ball will want to work on getting the players to put the ball in the back of net more often - especially when their opposition are down to ten men.