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Tony Adams twice saw his Portsmouth side relinquish the lead to draw 2-2 with Hull City at Fratton Park.

Portsmouth started far brighter than their visitors and took a deserved lead thanks to a Peter Crouch header on twenty minutes, but should have been more than a goal up when Michael Turner snuck in at the far post to level after half-time following a Dean Marney corner.

Man of the match Glen Johnson reaffirmed Portsmouth's dominance with a wonderful left-footed volley that swung away from Boaz Myhill into the top left hand corner. But Portsmouth were undone again at a step-piece when a combination of Dean Windass and general chaos saw Noe Pamarot head into his own net.

These sides hadn't met for seventeen years and Portsmouth could have been a goal up in the first minute - the ever impressive Johnson crossing for Papa Bouba Diop to thunder a header past Myhill onto the cross-bar.

The home faithful were adamant their side were in the lead but referee Stuart Atwell - he of the phantom Reading goal against Watford - waved play on, and rightly so.

They didn't have to wait long for their under-strength side to take the lead though. John Utaka, an impressive replacement for international injury victim Jermain Defoe, won a free-kick on Hull's left.

Portsmouth almost wasted the opportunity but Younes Kaboul recovered the ball and dug out a great cross for Peter Crouch to power a header straight at and through Myhill.

Marlon King almost delivered an immediate riposte for the visitors but an imperious Sylvain Disitn blocked for a corner, after Daniel Cousin had dispossessed Johnson and played in the Jamaican striker.

Moments later, Papa Diop should have doubled Portsmouth's lead. Peter Crouch unselfishly heading down a great Utaka cross only for the Senegalese international to prod hopelessly wide.

Portsmouth were both more powerful and dynamic in the heat of the midfield battle and Tony Adams will have gone in at half-time a little disappointed not to have more to show for what was a very polished first-half performance.

Hull offered very little during the first half, bar a couple of half chances - one gifted to Marney by David James - and an absolute thunderbolt from the scorer of beautiful goals, Geovanni.

Distin was forced to clear Marney's goal bound header after James had dropped a George Boateng cross; while England's no1 was rooted to the spot as Geovanni picked up the ball 30 yards out and hammered an effort off the cross-bar as the half closed.

The second half began much as the first had. Portsmouth were dominant, but as it seemed they were cruising Hull won an innocuous looking corner - their delivery had been poor all day. But Kamil Zayatte flicked it onto the far post and Michael Turner ghosted past Bouba Diop to head home.

Hull now had the bit between their teeth and were really going after a visibly shaken Portsmouth side - Marney forcing James into a smart save having connected wonderfully well with a King centre.

In a game dominated by corners, Portsmouth regained the lead from a Glen Johnson wonder goal. The England right-back picking up a cleared corner forty yards out and then striking a vicious swerving left-footed volley into the top left hand corner.

Pompey, as in the first half, had opportunities to put the game beyond Hull. Utaka was particularly culpable - hooking over the bar from close range following good work from Crouch.

While the Tigers were limited to either shots from distance or free-kicks - Geovanni first firing high and wide, and then testing James from distance.

But the home side have shipped a third of all their goals this season in the last fifteen minutes of matches, and today proved little different. With 87 minutes gone Hull forced another corner and Windass was soon celebrating having forced Pamarot to put into his own net.

With moments left and points up for grabs, both sides threw caution to the wind but with that caution went any semblance of passing football, as both teams went long in search of the winner. The search proved fruitless and both teams - more so Portsmouth, considering their early dominance - had to settle for a share of the spoils.

Marcus Foley / Eurosport