Report by Ben Davis

Pompey, dare I say it, are becoming quite a formidable force which could see then stay in the division. John Aloisi's first half goal gave Pompey their fourth straight win, but it was also their fourth successive clean sheet which has given the players a boost in confidence. Tuesday's crunch match with Bury is one Pompey need to win if they are to give themselves some breathing space in the scrap at the bottom which is now extremely close.
Alan Ball stuck with the side which beat West Brom, but on the bench were the Jamaican duo Paul Hall and Fitzroy Simpson who were booed when they came out for the warm up. The warm up also saw the entire team bundle Tranmere's odd looking bear mascot which was brought crashing to the floor right in front of the Fratton End.
Pompey had a scare in the second minute when Flahavan needed to be sharp to keep the visitors out. Morrisey played a good ball into the right side of the area where Branch picked it up and his low shot was turned around the post by Flahavan for a corner. Pompey cleared upfield and as the ball bounced in Tranmere's area McGreal appeared to handle whilst under pressure from Aloisi. Referee Bob Harris turned down the appeals though.
Tranmere looked at unease with the chimes booming out from the stands and it needed a brilliant save from their 18 year-old keeper Simonsen to keep Pompey out. McLoughlin played a fine ball through to Claridge on the right and his good cross was met powerfully by Aloisi and Simonsen did very well to flick the striker's goal bound effort over. From the corner the ball was cleared as far as Pethick whose 30-yarder went well wide.
Simonsen was then inches away from being sent off when he picked up a headed back pass right on the edge of his area with some Pompey players appealing that he'd picked it up outside. From another Pompey corner Tranmere's captain O'Brien deflected a Whitbread header towards his own goal but Simonsen was awake and grabbed the ball. Pompey then had a good opportunity when Aloisi was brought down close to the edge of the area on the left. Morgan was booked for the challenge but Robinson's cross was poor and looped over everyone in the box.
In the 28th minute Tranmere wasted a glorious chance to take the lead when a Morrisey cross beat Flahavan and Jones at the far post somehow headed it over with an open goal in front of him. David Hillier then went close for Pompey when Aloisi touched a Pethick cross to him 20-yards out. He hit it first time and the shot flew just over into the Fratton End.
The visitors were being pegged back and it needed a goal line clearance to keep the scores level. Claridge won another corner which McLoughlin chipped in. Whitbread couldn't meet it but Vlachos met it well with a firm header which Thomson hacked away for another corner which came to nothing.
Pompey eventually made the breakthrough in the 37th minute with some excellent play by Vlachos. He won the ball on the half-way-line before playing a quite superb ball forward towards Aloisi and he shrugged off two defenders before shooting low past Simonsen to send the crowd wild with delight.
Two minutes later Pompey were at Tranmere again this time with Claridge making a jinking run into the area which ended with him running out of room allowing the defenders to clear. The on loan striker was then denied a run through on goal by a good interception by McGreal from Aloisi's flick on. The crowd were making so much noise that no one could here the referee's half-time whistle.
The visitors made a double change at the start of the second half with Frail and Kelly coming on for Morgan and Irons. Pompey were on the back foot for the opening minutes as they were under pressure from Challinor's huge throws. The second of two was headed down into Kelly's path and he knocked the ball into the net past Flahavan, but the Linesman's flag had been raised so it was disallowed.
In the 53rd minute Flahavan was beaten again when Branch put the ball past him but fortunately that too was disallowed, this time for a foul on Whitbread. Tranmere's best chance came minutes later when from Frail's right sided cross Kelly headed wide at the far post from about five yards. The visitors were now getting right into the game and Pompey were struggling get back to what they were like in the first half.
In the 66th minute Claridge tried to get on to Aloisi's through ball but Simonsen was quickly out to clear. The keeper though had to make a more demanding save moments later. Claridge twisted and turned before finding McLoughlin in the area and his shot was blocked by Simonsen's legs which deflected it away. Then came the 'wall of sound' which was trying to help Pompey keep on going. Chant's of 'Alan Ball's blue and white army' roared around the ground for a least 15 minutes non stop.
Tranmere pressed three successive corners in their search for an equaliser with Flahavan catching the third to a great cheer from those behind the goal. Pompey were defending stoutly with Whitbread and Awford again outstanding. Claridge could have sealed it but couldn't quite connect with Aloisi's fine knock down from Pethick's cross. Simonsen was then quickly off his line again when Aloisi looked to pounce on Vlachos's through ball.
Frail had to helped off near the end of the match after a typical crunching challenge by Vlachos had left him in some pain. Hall and Simpson came on to boos and Hall really should have done better when he got away down the right. He raced in the area but failed to see Aloisi and his fellow compatriot Simpson and blasted a shot just wide of Simonsen's goal.
The last few minutes tested the nerves of some of the fans and there was a huge cheer when the final whistle did eventually go. The win lifted Pompey out of the relegation zone although the Potteries derby between Stoke and Port Vale tomorrow could see them back in it, but it is so close down there now that any number of teams could be sucked in. All Pompey have to do is continue this form for the remainder of the season.