Full-time: Bristol City 0 Portsmouth 2

FULL-TIME: Bristol City 0 Portsmouth 2

It has been 100 years since Bristol City graced an FA Cup Final and the centenary of that appearance was not to herald another.

Gary Johnson's side were beaten by Premier League Portsmouth 2-0 in a lively third-round replay at Ashton Gate, international class the difference between the teams. England striker Peter Crouch gave Pompey a first-half lead before Croatia midfielder Niko Kranjcar doubled the lead and ended the tie two minutes from time.

City huffed and puffed in the closing stages as Johnson threw on Dele Adebola, Stern John and Michael McIndoe in search of an equaliser but failed to find the net and were open to the sucker punch at the other end.

The result fails to reflect the controversy surrounding Crouch's opener, the towering striker having handled the ball in his own penalty area at the start of the move. And with four minutes of injury time to play beyond the allotted 90, Nicky Maynard had the chance to pull one back from the penalty spot only for another international, David James, to make the save.

James was everything his manager wanted him to be and made a sensational first-half stop from a close-range Maynard header to keep Bristol City at bay before his forwards did the rest.


94 min: Kanu could have made it three before the final whistle blows ending City's long wait for a Premier League scalp and even longer wait for a Wembley appearance in the FA Cup.

93 min: The man who scored the winner at Wembley, Kanu, comes on for a cameo in place of tonight's opening marksman Peter Crouch.

91 min: And misses! James shows his class once more, guessing right and palming away Maynard's shot, the ever present Glen Johnson first to the second ball and clearing to safety.

91 min: The fourth official shows four minutes of added time and Nicky Maynard, felled by Sol Campbell to win the kick, steps forward.

90 min: PENALTY! To City.

88 min: GOAL 2-0. The Ashton Gate hearts are broken by Niko Kranjcar who slots home from eight yards after Belhadj had stormed into the City box after receiving the ball from the scorer.

86 min: Bristol City are camped in Portsmouth's half. Carey finds Elliott who feeds Adebola who passes back to Carey.

83 min: Traore comes off for Hreidarsson as Tony Adams seeks to hold to his lead. Johnson takes a lofted corner but David James leaps higher than the rest to claim the ball.

82 min: Sproule again gets to the byline round the outside of Belhadj and wins a corner.

80 min: Belhadj forces Basso into a fantastic save to keep Bristol City in the game as Gary Johnson shuffles his pack for a final time pulling Fontaine for the experience and size of Dele Adebola who joins the attack as City leave three at the back and go in search of the life line.

76 min: Carey cross as City press and Stern John came close to being in the perfect position to test James with a header. City have upped their tempo in search of an equaliser and McIndoe's presence on the left is helping pin back Glen Johnson.

73 min: Portsmouth overcame Championship opposition in the form of Ipswich at the third-round stage last year on their march to Wembley and, unless McIndoe and co. can conjure something extra, Tony Adams will be leading his side into a fourth-round tie against Swansea who are 2-0 up at Histon.

72 min: Cole Skuse off for Michael McIndoe, back from a thigh injury.

70 min: Carey lobs a ball over the top from the half-way line and again it's Maynard who sprints free and is just shy of beating James to it.

68 min: Stern John on. Peter Styvar off to a warm ovation from the City fans.

66 min: Nigerian international John Utaka coming on for Portsmouth in place of David Nugent.

64 min: Bristol City's unbeaten run against Pompey in the FA Cup is not yet over but it's faltering as Portsmouth soak up the host's pressure.

60 min: Glen Johnson wins a corner for Pompey. Kranjcar takes, McCombe clears and City break with Sproule but his cross field ball to pick out the marauding run of Elliott came back off the head of a Pompey player.

59 min: Carey is receiving treatment for a head injury but looks fit to continue.

58 min: City are pressing and Orr is the latest to drive play forward and had a potshot as the vast international experience in Pompey's back four deemed it safe to back off. Cries for hand ball echoed around Ashton Gate as Campbell blocked the resulting effort but the ref waved away the claims.

57 min: Elliott muscles past Marc Wilson and slips the ball through to Maynard who is again halted by a top class intervention from Glen Johnson. Maynard, who has scored four goals in his last three games, tested James directly moments later but the England shot stopper again showed his class.

56 min: Crouch put through, gets ahead of McCombe but blasts just left of Basso's goal to the relief of three sides of Ashton Gate. The lanky Pompey striker apologises to the fourth by raising his hand in acknowledgement of a chance wasted.

54 min: City force another corner thanks to Sproule's sheer pace. Johnson crosses, and the ref Mick Jones blows for a free kick.

51 min: Bradley Orr's header drifts across the Pompey box and Styvar just can't get to it in time at the far post. A promising start to the half from City.

50 min: Sproule uses his pace to beat Belhadj, knocking the ball one side and running the other. His cross from the by-line forces a covering header from Sol Campbell to deny Maynard.

47 min: Sliding interception from Glen Johnson denies Maynard from receiving a dangerous pass from Styvar.

46 min: The second half gets under way. No changes.

HALF-TIME: Bristol City trail FA Cup holders Portsmouth 1-0 at the break, falling foul of England striker Peter Crouch who gave Pompey a deserved lead with his 13th goal of the season.
It was not without controversy. The beanpole frontman handled in his own area at the start of teh move which led to his goal, both his arms hitting the ball when he missed a headed clearance from a Lee Johnson corner.

Johnson was booked for his continued protestations as the sides headed for the tunnel at half-time.

City struggled to compete in the first half but forced David James into one of the saves of the season from a Nicky Maynard header.

It was the touch of 6ft 7in Crouch in the 38th minute that broke the stalemate though, poking home from five yards after Armand Traore had carved a path past City left-back Liam Fontaine.

David Nugent had earlier hit the post for Pompey and both Traore and Nadir Belhadj had been left free to fire shots over for the visitors.

42 min: Kaboul booked for throwing the ball away as Portsmouth concede a free kick on the left-hand edge of their 18-yard box. Johnson plays the ball square to Fontaine taking the Pompey back line by surprise. Fontaine plays it first time on the floor into the six yard box and James just, just gets there ahead of Styvar. Clever play from City, straight from the training ground.

38 min: GOAL! To the visitors. It's 1-0 to Portsmouth, teh FA Cup holders and it was Peter Crouch that did the damage. Belhadj broke down the left, hit a cross field ball to Armand Traore who beat Fontaine, made the by-line and slipped the ball back for Crouch to poke home from five yards. His 13th of the season. Bread and butter.

35 min: Crouch makes the by line on Portsmouth's right, angles a low cross into the six yard box and David Nugent, who has been far from prolific since his £6 million transfer to the south coast from Portsmouth conspires to hit the post.

34 min: ...has James backpeddling, the crowd rising to their feet, and then lands just the wrong side of the Pompey cross bar.

33 min: No joy from the corner but shortly after Marvin Elliott wins a header inside Pompey's half, directs it towards Maynard 30-yards out and the record signing lets fly with a looping effort which...

30 min: Corner safely defended SKuse almost finds Maynard at the other end before the youngster is dispossessed by the towering figure of Sylvain Distin. But the loose ball runs sto Sproule who sets off down the right once more and forces Belhadj to concede a corner.

28 min: Bad news for City manager Gary Johnson. Nugent beats Fontaine and forces a corner. And Swansea are 1-0 up at Johnson's former club Histon.

24 min: For the first time this half City threaten, forcing a corner. Lee Johnson puts in the ball, Maynard heads and David James makes a sensational save which belies his 38 years of age. The England goalkeeper, somehow, got down to his left to block the ball on the goalline. 0-0 still but something for the crowd to cheer.

21 min: The fans cry for captain Carey to shoot from all of 30 yards but instead he threads the ball out right, finds Sproule but the winger is stopped in his tracks inside the Pompey box.

20 min: City looked to be building until Skuse lost the ball, Crouch found it and seconds later the ball flew over the City bar.

16 min: Pompey have the initiative but can't find a way past a City side defending in numbers. Carey dribbles out of defence and plays a high ball to Skuse who is squeezed out of the action by Portsmouth England defenders Glen Johnson and Sol Campbell.

14 min: Nugent picks the ball up in midfield, the City defence back off allowing him to feed Wilson who just drifts too wide too shoot then slips as he tries to play in Glen Johnson. It could have been ugly for City.

12 min: Portsmouth again striding forward, Belhadj this time crossing from the other flank but again McCombe snubs out the threat of Peter Crouch

10 min: A Marc Wilson cross has Basso scrabbling before McCombe clears.

8 min: Cole Skuse is down, hit by the ball at point blank range on the edge of the 18-yard box. Pompey play fair and put the ball out. Skuse heads off but only as per the rules. He's back on straight away.

6 min: Armand Traore breaks from midfield and gets the first shot of the match on target but not with enough zip to beat Ivan Basso in the City goal. He does earn a corner though, well dealt with by the City defence.

5 min: Glen Johnson gets round City left-back Liam Fontaine but can't keep his cross under control.

4 min: A poor back pass from Belhadj under pressure from Sproule forces David James into a terrible clearance which goes out for a City throw.

2 min: City look more like 4-4-2 rather than the heralded 4-4-3, with Sproule keeping Portsmouth's left back Nadir Belhadj busy on City's right flank.

1 min: Positive start from City as Sproule narrowly fails to force a corner from kick-off.

7:48pm: City huddle. And break to recommence their bid to upset the FA Cup holders.

7:45pm: Fireworks go off as the teams emerge from the tunnel into a near capacity Ashton Gate.

7:35pm: Peter Styvar makes his Ashton Gate debut following his transfer from MSK Zilina and Johnson has wished him well in his program notes. "You never get a second chance to create a first impression in front of your home fans. What a game to do it in!"

7:20pm: The team news is in and City manager Gary Johnson sticks with his 4-3-3 formation which has reaped two wins and a draw since Christmas and is boosted by the return of record signing Nicky Maynard who missed the match at Fratton Park with a calf strain. Stern John drops to the bench in an otherwise unchanged side.

Pompey boss Tony Adams keeps faith with 21-year-old Marc Wilson who will form a midfield defensive wall alongside 23-year-old frenchman Younes Kaboul. The big man starts up front, all 6ft 7ins of him with Kranjcar filling the hole behind. Glen Johnson comes in for Martin Cranie, Kaboul replaces Sean Davis (virus) and Armand Traore takes the place of the inexperienced Arnold Mvuemba who has to settle for the bench.

Bristol City (4-3-3): Basso; Orr, Carey, McCombe, Carey, Fontaine; Skuse, Elliott, Johnson; Sproule, Styvar, Maynard. Subs: McAllister, McIndoe, Adebola, Wilson, Williams, John, Henderson (GK)

Portsmouth (4-5-1): James; Johnson, Distin, Campbell, Belhadj; Kranjcar, Traore, Kaboul, Wilson, Nugent; Crouch. Subs: Hreidarsson, Pamarot, Utaka, Mvuemba, Little, Kanu, Begovic (GK).

7pm: The City fans are warming up and feeling confident. Sadly, so are the ones who have travelled to support Portsmouth.

Bristol City ready for penalties against Portsmouth

Bristol City have left nothing to chance in their bid to dethrone FA Cup holders Portsmouth at Ashton Gate tonight.

Gary Johnson had his players practicing penalties in training this week to see who would have the nerve to take one against England goalkeeper David James in tonight’s third-round replay, which is likely to be watched by a sell-out crowd.

Johnson has never beaten a Premier League side while in charge at Ashton Gate but came agonisingly close two seasons ago when the Robins lost on spot kicks to Middlesbrough in a fourth-round replay sent to the wire by a 117th-minute equaliser from Jamie McCombe.

Now, two years on and 100 years since Bristol City reached the FA Cup final, Johnson is mustering his men for their best chance to date of unseating a team from the top tier.

Portsmouth manager Tony Adams’ travails have been well documented. He has won only won three of his last 18 games, the club are up for sale and his side have been shorn of midfield maestro Lassana Diarra and, more recently, England’s Jermain Defoe.

Nicky Maynard, Michael McIndoe and Brian Wilson are all back for Bristol City after missing the 0-0 draw at Fratton Park 10 days ago and big defender Jamie McCombe has recovered from a recurrence of pelvic and stomach strains as well as shin splints.

The 6ft 5in centre back was pivotal in marking England striker Peter Couch out of the game on the south coast and his fitness is a relief for the City manager, faced with the threat of Crouch’s 6ft 7in frame.

“I think we’ve got as good a chance as any,” said Johnson. “We respect that they’re a Premier League side, we know they’ve got some world class players. They’re still the favourites, they’re still the ones under pressure. They’re the ones the media have come to see get beat. And if we can help that situation we will. Our boys are really looking forward to it.

“We had a little (penalty) competition this morning,” he added, confirming he has picked his penalty takers on the basis of it.

“We had two teams and walked from the half-way line. We tried to replicate exactly what’s going to happen. The lads who were walking up to take the penalty got some stick from the other lads so it’s a little bit like the opposition and some missed because of it. I’ve got to be aware of which ones missed and why.”

City have had a change in fortune since Christmas, banishing a winless run of eight games with results at Watford and Crystal Palace, seeing in the New Year in much healthier fashion. The draw against Pompey helped continue the renewed confidence flowing through the team and Johnson is aware tonight’s game, despite being a cup match, will impact the team’s form.

“I keep saying two wins isn’t a run but I’m pleased with our form,” he said. “It’s definitely going to be a tight game but it’s one we think we have every chance in. We have to believe that our game can cause a problem. Neither team deserved to win at Fratton Park. It’s up to us, being at home to open up a little bit and create more opportunities.

“This is just as big a game for them at this point in time. They’ll be disappointed in the draw at Fratton Park but they will believe they can win the game at Ashton Gate. This is the game where we get the opportunity to beat the cup holders.

“FA Cups are one-off games. We’ve all got stories of the FA Cup. As players, coaches or manageers and those stories stay with you. You always remember the big FA Cup games. And they bring small towns together, puts small towns on the map. The FA Cup is a fantastic competition and I’ve never met anyone that thinks otherwise.

Skuse keen to fill the boots of his Bristol City heroes

Cole Skuse was on the terraces at Anfield when Bristol City last toppled a top-tier team 15 years ago.

And now the Bristol City midfielder has the chance to emulate his heroes against Premier League Portsmouth in the FA Cup third-round replay at Ashton Gate tonight (7.45pm).

“It was talk of the coach when we finished the game at Fratton Park, bringing them back to our place,” said the 22-year-old midfielder. “We fancy ourselves against them.

“It would be a massive result. It’s been a while and the fans are due a big result.”

Bristol born and bred and a product of the club’s academy, Skuse was taken up the M6 for that last big victory in another FA Cup third-round replay, a 1-0 win at Anfield.

“I was a young lad, travelling up in the minibus with my Dad and a few of his friends and a few of my friends,” he said. “I can’t remember the game massively I was only 6 or 7. I can just remember Tins (Brian Tinnion) on his left foot whipping it past the keeper and everybody going home happy.

“Back when I was 6 or 7 I could have only dreamed of playing for my home town club against a top-flight side. Luckily for me it’s happened.

“My phone hasn’t stopped since we drew Portsmouth in the FA Cup with everybody saying ‘all the best, it would be nice if you beat a Premier league side’.” It would be a massive thing for not only me but everyone in Bristol as well.”

City manager Gary Johnson, while keen to play up Pompey’s role as favourites, was also eager to play down a Robins victory as such a mighty upset.

“As I’ve said before, that’s not my fault,” joked Johnson about the 15-year wait for a Premier League scalp. “There’ll be a lot of people who’ll remember that day (at Liverpool). Maybe nowadays it’s not such a big upset. We are where we are. We were one game away from being a Premiership team ourselves.”

Johnson is in an enviable position with a fully-fit squad to chose from for the replay while his opposite number, Portsmouth manager Tony Adams, has lost Sean Davis to a stomach virus. The midfielder missed training yesterday and is unlikely to feature.

Pompey are also still without long-term absentees Papa Bouba Diop (knee) and Richard Hughes (groin) meaning Adams will turn again to youngsters Arnold Mvuemba and Marc Wilson to provide cover, as they did at Fratton Park 10 days ago.

The cup holders do welcome back Ghana international John Utaka, likely to slot into right midfield, and Glenn Johnson, capped for England at right-back.

“I've got people out but don't panic,” said Portsmouth boss Tony Adams. “I've got some good players and I'll hopefully get them into a shape which does the business against Bristol City.

“I'm not so sure about 4-4-2 though,” he added. “I don't think I've got four midfielders.”

The Pompey boss won the FA Cup three times with Arsenal and was assistant to Harry Redknapp when Portsmouth lifted the cup for the second time in their history last May thanks to a goal from Nwanku Kanu who could drop in behind Crouch tonight.

He is not underestimating his opposition though, especially given his first-hand experience of Gary Johnson’s coaching methods. “I had an insight into him when we did our coaching badges together,” said Adams. “All his teams want to play football. He is doing a bloody good job at Bristol City.”
Johnson is 90 minutes away from ensuring 18,000 City fans holler in agreement.
City (from): Basso, Henderson, Fontaine, McAllister, McCombe, Carey, Orr, McIndoe, Johnson, Elliott, Skuse, Sproule, Noble, Williams, Maynard, John, Styvar, Adebola, Akinde.