Premier League - Portsmouth hold Stoke

Eurosport - Sat, 21 Feb 17:39:00 2009

Stoke City conceded a last-minute goal as they were held to a 2-2 Premier League draw by Portsmouth at the Britannia Stadium.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Premier League Stoke City Stoke-Portsmouth Beattie - 0

Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross put through his own net in the 90th minute after a controversial double from James Beattie (pictured) put the hosts in front.

All four goals came in the last 15 minutes of an otherwise dreary match.

Niko Kranjcar initially fired the hosts ahead on 76 minutes when he slipped David Nugent's through-ball under Thomas Sorensen after some hesitant defending from Stoke.

But the hosts levelled two minutes later when Glen Johnson was harshly adjudged to have handled in the box by Mike Jones after Sol Campbell mis-headed a clearance.

Beattie converted the penalty with an unstoppable finish into the top left.

The former Southampton, Everton and Sheffield United striker thought he had sealed the comeback almost immediately afterwards when he headed Danny Pugh's shot over the line from what appeared to be an offside position.

It was the 30-year-old's fourth goal in five Premier League matches since he joined the Potters in the winter transfer window.

Pompey were furious at two perceived injustices but they got their reward for some incessant late pressure when Johnson's cross found Hermann Hreidarsson on the right.

The veteran defender's cross-shot took a huge deflection off Shawcross, spun through Sorensen's legs and gave Paul Hart's men a share of the spoils in what could prove to be a relegation six-pointer for both sides.

Reda Maher / Eurosport

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  1. steveandnou, I must disabuse you of your reading of­ "Hermans squeeze of Lawrence back of the­ neck". If you saw the match on tv, it was actually­ a carotid artery squeeze as practiced by the Icelandic­ secret police, who H played for b4 coming to the UK.­

    This is a delayed action grip which causes paralysis,­ loss of sight, death etc and why Lawrence was subbed.­ The ref of course was ignorant of all this as he is of­ all the laws of football.

    From drosesmith, on Sun 22 Feb 3:46PM

  2. If Glen Johnson handled in the box, how come he­ didn't get a red card? or at least a yellow? Is it­ not time to have a simle training school including­ eyesight tests for refs and assistants in the prem,­ after all their @#$%e decisions are costing teams­ points and possibly survival in the league. The gap­ between standards of officials and players is huge,­ there are glaring costly mistakes every week. Take­ their match fees and give it to clubs youth development­ programmes

    From drosesmith, on Sun 22 Feb 3:31PM

  3. Definately not a penalty and at the time I thought 2nd­ goal was offside. However after seeing it on TV I must­ admit it was onside. That would make it 2-1 to Pompey!

    From Kevin, on Sun 22 Feb 7:57AM

  4. Regardless of how Portsmouth fans will protest it was­ penalty - he tried to play the ball with his arm as­ he'd completely misread the flight of the ball and­ gained an advantage because of it. If it'd­ happened anywhere else on the pitch it would of been a­ free-kick - so in short it was a penalty. Beattie was­ played onside by the Portsmouth player at the edge of­ penalty area.

    One thing remains though is the­ referee should of booked at least 3 Portsmouth players­ and possibly sent 1 off way before any of this­ happened. I could not believe some of the tackles and­ taking out Lawrence on several occasions that he let­ them get away with. Then there is Hermans squeeze­ Lawrence by the back of the neck which should of been a­ sending off - unfortunately the referee was more intent­ on giving Lawrence a yellow card for removing his grip!­

    Last game Etherington was sent off for a minor­ petulent kick out at a player - yet again the Manure­ Greasy Diving C**t kicks out numerous times in a game­ and doesn't even recieve a yellow card for any of­ them. Now other players can physically get hold of a­ Stoke player without being sent off! If Stoke stay up­ it won't be for the lack of trying but for being­ constantly and blatantly cheated by referees.

    From steveandnou, on Sun 22 Feb 1:50AM

  5. Pompey have the best squad out of all that lot. Were­ safe. 'barnz' ever gone to specsavers mush?

    From mikesnowdon, on Sat 21 Feb 11:44PM

  6. West Brom, 'the boro', and one from Stoke/Hull­ City/Pompey/Blackburn for relegation (personally, i­ hope it's Stoke and their classless manager).

    From cameron w, on Sat 21 Feb 11:20PM

  7. the penalty was a handball, you cant do that in the­ box, it was harsh but still..

    and beatties goal wasnt­ offside - that game was a fair draw i think

    From barnz, on Sat 21 Feb 9:24PM

  8. With luck like that, Stoke FC will stay up no problem!­ So sorry Pompey fans - we didn't deserve a point,­ let alone 3. Absolutely horrific refereeing Jonesy -­ you can come to the Brittania every week! Keep giving­ us penalties for no reason and let all the offside­ goals count - brilliant!! P.S. Cheque is in the post

    From mark c, on Sat 21 Feb 8:02PM

  9. The forwards are scoring, thanks to Jamie Beattie but­ the defence is still shaky. The only way a win can be­ assured is NO GOALS against! At close of nthe season­ relegation may depend on goal difference so its vitally­ important to keep the ball out of the Stoke net. I­ live in the London area and hate to see the Potteries­ sides struggling- the Potters need a good away win to­ give the tonic needed for survival- THEY CAN DO IT!

    From lombard, on Sat 21 Feb 7:54PM

  10. Isnt about time with all the money thats in the pre,­ that they surely should consider a fourth ref. both­ stokes goals werent. one wasnt hand ball and the other­ was off side.Its crazy that they let 3 t.w.a-t.s run­ out of breath up and down the pitch that make big time­ mess ups and get paid for it

    From Yvonne, on Sat 21 Feb 7:43PM

  11. mikejdickson.

    Which Pompey player should have gone­ and why?

    From mikesnowdon, on Sat 21 Feb 6:10PM

  12. i just cannot understand why anyone like that ref can­ ref in the prem, both goals from stoke were wrong,­ pompey should have won, funny i am stoke fan, point is­ the ref did not book anyone when he should have untill­ the last 20, pompey should have been down to 10 men,­ then maybe stoke would have won, but a draw is not fair­ when both teams have droped 2 points because of the­ refs blindness, at this stage of the season every point­ counts and if one of us today go down by a point then­ how can it be fair, what that means is the teams,­ clubs, managers and players have done everything right,­ but the system has done them wrong. THE REF AND­ LINESMEN SHOULD BE LOOKED AT QUICKLY ITS DISGUSTING ITS­ NOT FOOTBALL OR 'OH' THATS THE WAY IT GO'S.

    From Michael, on Sat 21 Feb 6:02PM

  13. Another candidate for the referee's classroom.­ Didn't have much to think about for most of the­ game and when the chance came-he blew it-twice!

    From Julie T, on Sat 21 Feb 5:59PM

  14. So glad we got the equaliser after the officials f***­ up's. We deserved the win though. Glad Niko scored.­ Herman was great, love 'im!

    From mikesnowdon, on Sat 21 Feb 5:50PM

  15. The ref was an idiot! Stoke were very it should of been­ a win for pompey!

    From Dan, on Sat 21 Feb 5:24PM

  16. Lucky Stoke - when will Refs start to understand that­­ the hand ball needs to be DELIBERATE! Beattie offside­­ for the second! Play up Pompey!!!!

    From Peter S, on Sat 21 Feb 5:16PM

  17. the ref and linesman should never be allowed to take­ part in another prem game disgusting decisions for­ stokes goals not a pen and a blatant offside

    From Chris, on Sat 21 Feb 5:13PM
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