BBC SPORT | Football | Premiership (original) (raw)

Lomana LuaLua's late winner gave Pompey victory in a remarkable match.

The Baggies led when Dejan Stefanovic turned Neil Clement's cross into into his own net - but Darren Purse's sliced own-goal levelled the scores.

Another error put West Brom ahead again - Matt Taylor giving the ball away before Rob Earnshaw tapped home.

But with five minutes left Arjan De Zeeuw equalised with a powerful header and LuaLua snatched all three points with a thunderous strike.

Pompey had been looking to bounce back from their midweek Carling Cup defeat against Watford.

They began brightly and looked dangerous whenever they brought David Unsworth and Steve Stone into play on either flank.

One of Stone's early crosses led to loud appeals for a penalty when Ricardo Scimeca appeared to hold down Matt Taylor in the box and Unsworth was unlucky to see his goalbound follow-up blocked.

But the Baggies were also looking use their width going forward and full-back Clement got forward well to help put them in front after 14 minutes.

Clement's winding run took him into the box before he delivered a driven low cross that Stefanovic could only turn into his own net.

Unsworth almost conjured up an instant equaliser when his lobbed shot from the edge of the area beat Russell Hoult but bounced off the top of the crossbar.

He was involved again soon after - supplying a first-time cross that Purse, scrambling back, almost headed past Hoult - but then limped off with a groin strain.

Linvoy Primus replaced him and switched positions with Stefanovic who moved out on the left.

And the Serbian made up for his earlier error by creating his side's equaliser on 35 minutes.

He fired in a cross from the left and Purse inexplicably stuck out a leg at the near post and guided it past a stunned Russell Hoult, who was standing just behind him.

But another defensive error put West Brom back in front before half-time.

Matthew Taylor tried to control a loose ball in the box but did not realise Ashdown had come out to collect it - the ball fell for Scimeca who crossed for Earnshaw to tap into the empty net from close range.

The Baggies seemed content to hold on to their lead in the early stages of the second half, leaving Pompey to attack at will.

The arrival of LuaLua from the bench gave the home side even more initiative but some resolute defending kept him at bay at first.

Ricardo Fuller tried the direct approach with a battling run that ended with Hoult blocking his shot at his near post.

It seemed the home side had run out of ideas but with five minutes left Berger curled in a free-kick from the right that De Zeeuw headed powerfully home.

And Pompey were finished yet as they completed an unlikely comeback.

LuaLua looked marginally offside when he collected Eyal Berkovic's through-ball - but his finish from inside the box left Hoult helpless and gave his side all three points.

Portsmouth: Ashdown, Griffin, De Zeeuw, Stefanovic, Unsworth (Primus 26), Stone, Faye, Quashie (Berkovic 80), Berger, Taylor (LuaLua 55), Fuller. Subs not used: Hislop, Cisse.

Goals: Purse 35 og, De Zeeuw 85, LuaLua 89.

West Brom: Hoult, Scimeca, Moore, Purse, Clement, Haas (Gaardsoe 66), Johnson, Greening, Gera (Sakiri 70), Kanu, Earnshaw (Hulse 77). Subs not used: Kuszczak, Koumas.

Booked: Moore, Hoult.

Goals: Stefanovic 14 og, Earnshaw 45.

Att: 20,110