Football: Posh's pain persists

Peterborough United. .0

Portsmouth. . . . . . 0

LIL FUCCILLO, the Peterborough manager, saw last night's Coca-Cola Cup fourth- round tie as a chance for his side to get away from their struggle at the bottom of the First Division. The Cup, however, turned out to be just as much of a struggle.

Almost all the chances fell to the visitors, most of them involving Paul Walsh, the striker who has been linked recently with Southampton. The rumours were dismissed by Jim Smith, Portsmouth's manager, who said afterwards: 'He won't be leaving.'

Walsh nearly opened the scoring after 15 seconds with a characteristic run into the penalty area, finishing with a cross-shot that flew narrowly wide and, six minutes later, he provided a cross which John Durnin volleyed just wide. Portsmouth's attacks continued with Tony Dobson drawing a smart save from the Peterborough keeper and Durnin being blocked in the six-yard box by Steve Welsh.

These were rare, exciting moments in an otherwise humdrum affair. Indeed, it took 54 minutes for Peterborough to produce their first coherent move when John McGlashan produced a header which Alan Knight did well to divert.

Peterborough United (4-4-2): Bennett; Greenman, Howarth, Welsh, Spearing; Hackett (Barnes, 73), Ebdon, Bradshaw, Cooper; Adcock, McGlashan. Substitutes not used: Peters, Furnell (gk).

Portsmouth (4-4-2): Knight; Gittens, Butters, Awford, Neill; McLoughlin, Kristensen, Stimson, Dobson (Daniel, 72); Durnin, Walsh. Substitutes not used: Doling, Horne (gk).

Referee: J Rushden (Stoke-on-Trent).