Report by Ben Davis

A late come-back by Wolves wasn't enough to prevent Pompey's heros moving out of the relegation zone. They put in a fine performance with Alan Knight producing a magnificent penalty save in the first half to keep Pompey in the lead. Despite being down to ten men after Sedgley was red carded for punching Svensson, Wolves clawed back two goals and had their finishing been better they might well have sneaked a draw.
John Aloisi and Craig Foster had flown off with the Australian team for a tournament in Saudi Arabia. John Durnin replaced top scorer Aloisi and Andy Turner for Foster. The players came out to pouring rain and special macs had to be given to the Wolves supporters in the Milton End to keep them dry.
Pompey's players quickly showed that they were up for it with some excellent challenges going in and with Hall's trickery and pace the home side looked the more likely to score first. Andy Turner tried an audacious 30-yard volley before Pethick also had a go from long range with both efforts going a couple of yards over into the noisy Fratton End.
Then on 14 minutes Pompey took the lead and like against Stoke Paul Hall should take most of the credit. He ran down the right wing from just inside the half, jinking past a couple of Wolves defenders, before crossing where Hillier put Curle off leaving Durnin free to drive home back across the keeper.
An off the ball incident then resulted in Steve Sedgley receiving his marching orders. He appeared to punch Mathias Svensson who crashed to the floor. Durnin raced over to prevent Sedgley attacking Svensson any more and it needed the police to escort the very angry defender off the pitch.
Svensson was certainly putting himself about and was receiving his fair of whacks on the ankle, but a goal was eluding him. He thought he'd done it when the Wolves defence allowed him to race onto a long ball, round Stowell with some neat footwork, and score, but to his dismay the referee had pulled play back for a free-kick to Pompey.
The big Swede was celebrating again moments later when from a McLoughlin cross from the left he turned in Durnin's attempted volley on goal. The linesman's flag had been raised for offside though. It really wasn't Svensson's half when Hall reached the by line and pulled it back for the Swede who's snap shot was well saved by Stowell at point blank range.
The visitor's began to get going again and just before half-time they had a perfect opportunity to going in at half-time level. Youngster Robbie Keane stormed through Pompey's defence and appeared to be brought down by Hillier just inside the area. A penalty was awarded but Curle's well struck effort was brilliantly palmed away by Knight. The fans sang his name to which he waved to the Fratton End.
Pompey knew one goal wasn't enough and a second goal did come only two minutes after the restart. Durnin picked the ball up just inside his own half and surged forward before slipping past Curle on the edge of the area and drilling a low shot beyond Stowell.
The first signs of Pompey relaxing came shortly as the game went into a dour state with neither side able to fashion out a decent goalscoring chance. Credit though must go to Pompey's defence who have managed to sort themselves out with Thomson and Whitbread playing exceptionally well. Thomson won every ball in the air and on one occasion in the first-half he beat three Wolves players on an encouraging run into their half.
Some tension was beginning to enter into the fans as they went slightly quiet. Wolves were pinning Pompey back and wasted two dangerous free-kick's and when Freedman raced through it looked as though a close finish was on the cards. The Scottish striker's delicate chip over the on rushing Knight went inches past the far post though. A fine tackle by Whitbread stopped Goodman getting in a shot although the tension was released with a third goal on 74 minutes.
Substitute Igoe crossed from the right and despite not finding anyone in the area Hall retrieved the ball out on the left. He picked out Svensson on the edge of the area and after beating Curle his low shot could only be parried by Stowell giving Hillier a gift to make it three.
Two minutes later Pompey went to sleep from a free-kick and Wolves pulled a goal back. Substitute Paatelainen rose highest, above a static Pompey defence, to head down for Westwood (not our famous John) to tap in. The Wolves fans who left after the third goal then missed their side score again three minutes from time.
Freedman, who had looked the best of the Wolves players, slipped Froggatt into the area and after shrugging off Awford he fired home off the far post. That certainly did set up a nervous last few minutes but Pompey held out for a great win. The reaction by the Wolves players at the end was not friendly as Goodman and Curle made bee lines for Svensson who they thought cheated to get Sedgley sent off. They though were escorted off before the Pompey players went in.