Defensive blunders give Pompey the points

Some lacklustre defending cost Wednesday not only three important league points, but may have also been the last chance to Terry Yorath to impress the board enough to give him the full time role as manager. Yorath has admittedly turned things around since Shreeves shocked all with his resignation, and has helped the Owls on their way to three wins from their last five games.

A pretty good record when you look at previous form this season, but there was still an air of disappointment when the full time whistle came on Saturday. Wednesday had played some attractive football, dubbed by some fans as the best for quite some time, but their blunders at the back cost them dearly.

The good run of form has seen the Owls out of the bottom three, but at this stage only by one point. Most would admit, however, that if Wednesday continued to play like they have been since Yorath took over, that survival this season would surely not be a worry come April/May time. Portsmouth handed a debut to Japanese international goalkeeper Yoshikatso Kawaguchi - and he was to shine in his first game for the club. He made a number of important saves to ensure his side left Sheffield with all three points to their name.

Wednesday certainly blew a number of good chances to draw, or even win the game. The game started like a dream for Yorath and his men. Simon Donnelly, preferred striking partner of Gerald Sibon ahead of the likes of Pablo Bonvin and Michele Di Piedi, latched onto Leigh Bromby's through ball and neatly tucked the ball past Kawaguchi after just 25 seconds. It was Donnelly's first goal since April when he scored the late winner in a 2-1 home win over Barnsley.

Five minutes later Portsmouth drew level. It was disappointing to concede a goal so early after having gone ahead, but was what even worse was the poor defending that allowed it. Pompey wing-back Kevin Harper pumped the ball into the box and found the lanky stick-like figure of Peter Crouch who had no problems in smashing the ball low past Kevin Pressman from a few yards out, as Leigh Bromby merely stood and watched the former Q.P.R man continue his good scoring record over the Owls.

Minutes after that Portsmouth nearly went ahead as Alan Quinn's defensive clearance was sliced horribly towards his own goal, but the young Irishman's blushes were saved as it went the past the outside of the post.

In the 18th minute Quinn nearly made up for his defensive mis-hap when his shot was well saved by Kawaguchi. Wednesday had Pressman to thank midway through the first half when the Sheffield veteran pulled off a series of brilliant saves. Firstly he denied Crouch as the big man nearly had the ball in the back of the net with a well directed header. Soon afterwards he then denied Crouch a second time, this time with an acrobatic save. The best of the bunch came when Pressman denied defender Linvoy Primus from point blank range.

Pompey boss Graeme Rix would have certainly been laying the smack down on his players if it weren't for Peter Crouch's second goal in the 39th minute. Terry Yorath, however, would have been furious at the quality of defending shown in the run up to Portsmouth's second goal. Danny Maddix, who has been so reliable most of the season, was largely to blame as his half hearted attempt to intercept the ball allowed Lee Bradbury in and run the ball to the by-line. Bradbury cut the ball back to pick out danger man Peter Crouch who slotted the ball home from 12 yards with four Wednesday defenders all watching him. The Owls were unfortunate to have gone into the break down a goal, when Gerald Sibon's 25-yard free kick smacked back off the post.

Half-time: Owls 1-2 Portsmouth

Yorath used his attacking cards in the second half when he soon replaced midfielder Aaron Lescott, having a torid time attempting to mark the world class Croatian Robert Prosinecki, with Argentinian forward Pablo Bonvin. Kawaguchi again came to the rescue for the visitors with a fine save from a confident looking Owen Morrison, who scored a match winner at the City Ground in midweek.

Portsmouth's third came in the 58th minute and it was another goal that looked more like something you'd see in a Sunday kick about. The long ball from Portsmouth again caught out the Owls backline, this time Neil Barrett latched onto a 30 yard pass, with a suspicion of hand ball in the process, and shrugged off a weak Wednesday challenge before calmly side footing the ball past Kevin Pressman to make it 3-1.

The Owls knew they needed to reply quickly if they were do gain anything from the match. They nearly did as Bonvin was this time denied by the Japanese shot stopper in the 63rd minute. Moments later though Wednesday were awarded a penalty, Bonvin again involved. The man from Boca tried to turn defender Livoy Primus but the Portsmouth man appeared to haul him to the ground. Portsmouth made very little argument with the decision, and Sibon tucked it away nicely to the right as Kawaguchi dived the opposite way.

Wednesday put the pressue on the visitors in the closing 20 minutes, but were simply unable to find the back of the net. Gerald Sibon came close on two occasions, once from an Owen Morrison cross and the other a free-kick that went narrowly over the bar.

With just nine minutes left on the clock Alan Quinn was guilty of missing a golden chance to draw matters level, when he missed from just eight yards out. Terry Yorath threw on youngster Tony Crane in replace of defender Danny Maddix, and the young defender cum striker was immediately booked for argueing with the referee. Kawaguchi was one again the hero for Pompey when in the last minute he denied an on rushing Ashley Westwood, whose effort from 12 yards was well saved.

Kawaguchi's fine work all afternoon was nearly, and on reflection should have been, undone when in the third minute of time added on Pablon Bonvin missed a sitter. The South American forward did well in taking the ball around Kawaguchi, but failed in finding enough power in turning and shooting to get the ball over the line.

Yorath admitted after the game that the mixture of sloppy defending and poor finishing towards the end of the game was Wednesday's undoing.