Sports Mail nostalgia – when Blues hit the front in top flight
Today we rewind 18 years to when a 1-0 victory over Wigan Athletic briefly put Pompey top of the Premier League. A solitary Benjani goal early in the second half at Fratton Park was enough to lift the Blues to the summit for a couple of hours.
Pompey went top of the Premier League for two hours on September 9, 2006 after Benjani Mwaruwari’s sharp finish earned them a narrow 1-0 win over Wigan Athletic.
In the 49th minute, the Zimbabwe striker stole in behind a static Latics defence to fire across Chris Kirkland for his first goal at home since his record £4.1m transfer in January.
Prior to that, neither goalkeeper was tested in a stale, defence-dominated first half.
Pompey substitute Lomana Lualua struck the outside of the post with a low drive before David James preserved the home side’s lead with a superb save from Antonia Valencia to ensure the club’s best top-flight start since 1948.
The match was watched by a crowd of 19,508 at Fratton Park.
Pompey: James, Johnson, Primus, Campbell, Stefanovic (Pamarot 66), O’neil, Davis, Mendes (Thompson 86), Taylor, Mwaruwari, Kanu (Lualua 76).
Meanwhile, Pompey Youth won 3-1 away to Yeovil Town. The goalscorers were Bill Puckett, Jack Compton and Marlon Pack, now club captain of course.
Elsewhere, Everton beat Liverpool 3-0 at Goodison Park in the Merseyside derby.
Watford were left rooted at the bottom of the Premier League table after Gary Speed converted a lastminute penalty against the Hornets to secure Bolton Wanderers a single-goal victory.
Chelsea recorded their ninth successive victory at Stamford Bridge and condemned Charlton Athletic to their worst-ever start to a Premier League campaign.
Southampton were beaten 2-1 by Ipswich Town in their Championship clash at Portman Road.
Kenwynne Jones struck early for Saints, but a penalty from Simon Walton and then a header by Billy Clarke secured the points for the home side.
Cardiff City lost 2-1 away to Luton Town, but remained top of the second-tier table.
In League One, Leon Best scored the only goal as AFC Bournemouth beat Crewe Alexandra at Dean Court and a Marvin Elliott own goal handed a 1-0 win to Brighton & Hove Albion against Millwall at The New Den.
In the Conference South, Hawks were beaten 2-1 by
Bedford, Brett Poate scoring in the last minute.
A second-half goal blitz saw Gosport hammer Downton in the second qualifying round of the FA Vase.
The score was goalless at half time, but goals from Cooper, Waterman, Guise and Birmingham put Gosport comfortably into the next round.
In the Sydenhams
League Premier Division, Fareham shared six goals in their away fixture with Totton, Horndean lost 1-0 at Bemerton and Nicky Wyatt’s strike gave Moneyfields a 1-0 victory away to Hamble.
In other news, it was reported that Pompey defender had Andy Griffin signed for Stoke City on loan the previous evening.
Stoke boss Tony Pulis said: “We are absolutely delighted to have got Andy – and very thankful to Portsmouth for letting us have him.”