FOOTBALL: FRATT'S THAT

HARRY Redknapp reckons a six-match spell beginning with yesterday's clash against Coventry will determine whether Pompey are capable of realising their dream of Premiership football next season.

But Pompey will have to perform better than this if they are to remain top of the First Division pile for the remainder of the campaign - and Harry knows it.

Despite taking the lead through Vincent Pericard, his boys rode their luck against a determined City.

And Portsmouth dropped their first points at Fratton Park this season when Calum Davenport levelled on the hour.

With Pompey in such impressive form, Coventry player-manager Gary McAllister opted for a defensive five-man midfield formation, leaving former Pompey striker Lee Mills as the lone front man.

And joint-leading scorers Jay Bothroyd and Gary McSheffrey were left on the subs' bench .

But in front of another sell-out crowd, with ticket touts doing brisk business outside the ground, it was Coventry who nearly sprang a second minute surprise.

Mills, booed by home fans every time he touched the ball, was dragged down by Lassina Diabete, and Shaka Hislop just managed to keep out McAllister's free-kick from 20 yards.

As Pompey began to settle Svetoslav Todorov flashed a shot across the face of goal before strike partner Vincent Pericard rattled another effort into the side-netting.

Paul Merson was unlucky to pick up a 23rd-minute booking when Coventry midfielder Youssef Safri stumbled over several yards away from the England man's initial tackle -m and City's Gary Caldwell soon followed him into the book, for a challenge on Merson.

Pompey were lucky not to concede 10 minutes before half-time when Mills was left unmarked to meet McAllister's corner from the left.

But after chesting the ball down, the striker succeeded only in dragging his shot wide of Hislop's right-hand post.

On the stroke of half-time Todorov had two efforts in the space of a few seconds, lashing a volley just too high, and then firing wide - though Mills still had time to hit the bar from 25 yards before the break.

Whatever Redknapp said at the interval had the desired effect. Within six minutes Pericard galloped away before chipping his shot over the stranded Fabien Debec.

But the lead lasted nine minutes. After Mills had again hit the woodwork, Calum Davenport put City back on terms. Substitute McSheffrey crossed from the left, and Davenport was on hand to bundle the ball home from close range.

MAN OF THE MATCH GARY MCALLISTER

Always the midfield driving force for City.

PORTSMOUTH: Hislop 6, Primus 6, Festa 7, De Zeeuw 6, O'Neil 6, Diabate 6, Merson 7, Quashie 6, Taylor 7, Pericard 7, Todorov 6.

COVENTRY: Debec 6, Caldwell 6, Konjic 7, Davenport 7, Quinn 6, Pipe 6 (McSheffrey 6), Chippo 6, Safri 6, MCALLISTER 8, Partridge 6, Mills 7.

MANAGER RATINGS: Redknapp 7; McAllister 8.

REFEREE: P Walton 6.

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