Cavalier Coventry knock on wood

Portsmouth 1 Coventry City 1

Portsmouth remain top of the First Division but the fact that their unbeaten home record is still intact owes something to the woodwork, which will need a couple more layers of paint today after Coventry, and in particular Lee Mills, tested it twice. Pompey have put most teams to the sword at Fratton Park this season but they could not shake off a Coventry side who grew increasingly confident and adventurous – something Shaka Hislop could testify to in the home goal. Twice he was left helpless as Mills did everything but score against his former employers.

Portsmouth's growing band of foreigners gained a new arrival just before the international break last week, when Lassina Diabate was signed from Auxerre on a free transfer. Yesterday, the central midfielder and Ivory Coast international was making his full debut after his arrival from French football, but looked instantly at home on the south coast, despite the typically frantic nature of this First Division encounter.

Playing behind Frenchman Vincent Pericard and the Bulgarian Svetoslav Todorov – there is more than a touch of the cosmopolitan about Harry Redknapp's side – Diabate was allowed to have plenty of the ball in the opening period to acquaint himself with his new team-mates.

However, crucial to Pompey's progress so far this season has been the form of Paul Merson. With his prompts and passes he has inspired his side to the top of the Football League, but here, his radar seemed to have gone awry as time after time his flicks missed their target.

With only scraps to feed on, Todorov did go for goal after eight minutes, sending his low shot marginally wide of the target. A minute later, Diabate attempted to open his account for Portsmouth, but his left-foot shot went harmlessly over Fabien Debec's goal from 25 yards.

Coventry were only slightly less disorganised than their hosts, but they also failed to mount a concerted effort on Hislop's goal. They frequently got within 18 yards but the final touch, when it mattered, was lacking. Gary McAllister, their tireless player-manager, was in the thick of things, but his magic touch let him down with Mills, the former Portsmouth player, desperate to score against his former club.

With just two minutes of the match gone Coventry's best chance of the first half came and went, as a swerving McAllister free-kick was turned around the post by Hislop and although Coventry upped their share of possession, they could not turn that into chances.

Despite the largely desperate first-half offerings, both sides managed to end with a flourish, as Todorov went close twice, and Mills deserved a goal when he hit the crossbar, all in the space of three minutes' injury time.

Carrying on where they had left off after the break, Coventry had a claim for a penalty turned down after a tug at McAllister's shirt. Then, all of a minute later, Pompey took the lead. A midfield exchange saw Merson end up with the ball at his feet and his pass found Pericard running into plenty of space. Pericard, on loan from Juventus, went as far as the edge of the penalty area before deftly chipping Debec for his sixth goal of the season.

The lead lasted just 10 minutes. Coventry came straight back into the game. Firstly Mills beat Hislop again only for the ball to come back off the woodwork for the second time, and when Portsmouth failed to clear their lines, a pass ricocheted around the six-yard box and Calum Davenport claimed the goal, although it looked as if it could have gone in off a home player.

Portsmouth 1 Coventry City 1
Pericard 51, Davenport 60

Half-time: 0-0 Attendance: 18,837