Football: GOOD CHIMES FOR POMPEY

HARRY REDKNAPP watched delighted as Pompey kept up their breath- taking start to the season, but then claimed: "We're not kidding ourselves, we've done nothing yet."

A goal just after half-time by Svetoslav Todorov earned Portsmouth the points against a Millwall side who played the better football for longs spells, particularly in the first half.

Pompey boss Redknapp enthused: "It has been a miracle start for us, better than I could ever have imagined.

"But Millwall played well and gave us a real test. We know we're not going to run all over sides like this.

"We're not kidding ourselves that we are like Manchester United who can sometimes go out and murder the opposition.

"We now have 22 points and that is just fantastic. With a start like this we have certainly given ourselves a decent chance of getting promotion."

But Redknapp admits he is still concerned that his squad may not be strong enough to last the pace.

Bulgarian striker Todorov is his latest injury worry. He has a knee ligament problem, and Redknapp said: "I don't know how long he's going to be out but it's certainly something we could have done without.

"I really would like to bring in at least a couple more players because I honestly believe the squad is still not strong enough in depth. The last thing I want to do is to lose three or four games and then have to start bringing in players who are vastly inferior to the ones I have."

Bemused Millwall manager Mark McGhee left Fratton Park still wondering just how his side had so much of the play but left without even a point.

He blamed a moment of defensive suicide for his team's downfall.

His back four were all over the place when Todorov reached a raking cross-field pass from Nigel Quashie, cut in from the left and cleverly chipped the ball past advancing keeper Tony Warner.

McGhee moaned: "To concede a goal like that was diabolical from a defensive point of view. We put in so much effort for the rest of the game, but that really was a terrible moment.

"We have not been conceding too many goals lately, in fact we had not let one in during our previous three games so I cannot begin to say how annoyed I am, not just about losing but by being beaten by that goal."

Millwall began brightly against a Pompey side on top of the First Division after a seven-match unbeaten start.

And the visitors might have been ahead inside 30 seconds if Shaka Hislop had not been so alert. The towering keeper just managed to touch over a speculative 30-yard curler from Christophe Kinet, who proved a threat down the left throughout.

Former Pompey manager Steve Claridge worked tirelessly up front for Millwall alongside his new strike partner Kevin Davies, on a month's loan from Pompey's arch-rivals Southampton.

Each strikers' every touch was jeered by the home fans, but they refused to buckle and Claridge forced a smart save out of Hislop in the opening spell.

Millwall continued to show more attacking enterprise as Pompey seemed just intent on reaching the interval still on terms.

However, in an inspired spell just before the break, Redknapp's boys began to show their class.

Matthew Taylor hit the bar with curling right-footer, then Paul Merson freed Todorov who sliced his shot wide from the corner of the six-yard box.

Within five minutes of the restart Todorov produced the vital breakthrough, and that settled Pompey who began to show far more attacking enterprise.

Todorov might have added a second midway through the second period but hit an angled shot wide then sub Gary O'Neil had two opportunities to put the game beyond Millwall's reach.

Merson's free-kick was half-cleared to the England Under-21 midfielder who bobbled his shot wide.

Soon afterwards Merson was again the provider but this time O'Neil's first-time effort flashed a yard wide of Warner's right- hand post.

Redknapp insisted that he did not have to give his players a half- time rollicking, adding with a smile: "I certainly wouldn't do that to Gian Luca Festa in any case - he's a black belt in kick-boxing!

"We looked a bit tense in that opening period, but were much brighter in the second half."

McGhee added: "We could easily have had four or five more points from our opening games, even though we'd been playing poorly.

"So I suppose questions have to be asked over the standard of the First Division this season."

A booking for David Livermore means he faces suspension, but McGhee hopes to complete the signing of Andy Roberts later this week after the player was released by Wimbledon during the summer. He has been on a short-term contract at the New Den.MAN OF THE MATCH NIGEL QUASHIE

Tireless in midfield and set up vital goal.

PORTSMOUTH: Hislop 7, Primus 7, Festa 7, De Zeeuw 6, Harper 6, Robinson 6 (O'Neil 5), QUASHIE 8, Merson 7, Taylor 6, Todorov 6 (Tyler 5), Pericard 6 (Burchill 5).

MILLWALL: Warner 6, Lawrence 6 (Braniff 5), Nethercott 7, Ward, 6, Bull 7, Ifill 7, Roberts 7, Livermore 6, Kinet 7 (Harris 5), Claridge 7, Davies 6.

MANAGER RATINGS: Redknapp 7; McGhee 6.

REFEREE: S Tomlin 7.ATTENDANCE: 17,201

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