Queens Park Rangers were denied by the woodwork three times and forced to settle for a point in a scrappy goalless battle at Loftus Road.
Rangers' striker Rob Steiner was the unlucky man on two of three occasions as the home side applied the pressure in the second half on the hunt for their fourth victory in a row.
The first half was a dour affair with both sides playing three centre-halves though QPR could have scored as early as the fourth minute.
Ian Baraclough unleashed a superb 50-yard pass to put Steiner in the clear but as Pompey keeper Andy Petterson came out, Steiner dragged his shot wide.
Chris Kiwomya should have done better than head over after Baraclough's corner had beaten Petterson, while the striker's teasing cross forced a desperate clearance by Andy Awford as Steiner waited to pounce.
All an unambitious Portsmouth had to show from the first half was Steve Claridge's header from Jason Crowe's chip which Lee Harper saved comfortably, and though they had more possession in the second half, they simply never troubled the QPR keeper.
On 55 minutes Kiwomya got down the left and his cross was met by Steiner at the near post who nodded inches wide. Two minutes later he went even closer.
Danny Maddix chipped the ball into the area and Steiner was there to place a delicate volley past the keeper only to see it hit the underside of the bar and come out again.
Five minutes later it happened again. This time from the right, Tim Breacker put Kiwomya in but, like his striking partner, his shot rattled the crossbar.
Jermaine Darlington was causing all sorts of problems on the left though his crosses were failing to find their target. But Breacker on the right was proving more accurate and on 69 minutes he picked out Steiner only for the Swede to send his header against the foot of the post.
Portsmouth went close to a shock winner on 74 minutes when Lee Bradbury stole down the right but his cross was volleyed over by Sammy Igoe.
Baraclough almost won it in injury time when his free-kick was cleared off the line by Alan McLoughlin but in a game littered with offsides and stray passes the defences were the only winners.