Portsmouth 0-1 Blackburn

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Norwegian Morten Pedersen scored his first league goal to give Blackburn a vital win in an ugly encounter that saw Portsmouth end the match with nine men.

The Norwegian winger dinked the ball over Shaka Hislop after he was released by David Thompson's clever pass.

Pedersen scored four minutes after Portsmouth went down to 10 men when Lomano LuaLua was sent off for appearing to headbutt Andy Todd.

Amdy Faye was sent off in stoppage time after picking up a second booking.

Capitalising on their numerical advantage Blackburn should probably have won by more but they were unable to press home the advantage.

First Dejan Stefanovic managed to block a Brett Emerton shot while Thompson wastefully shot over.

Blackburn's inability to extend their lead gave them some nervy defensive moments.

Todd had to bravely block a Dejan Stefanovic header while Friedel saved well from Diomansy Kamara's dipping effort.

After a promising beginning the opening half had degenerated into a stop-start affair that was interrupted by a succession of fouls and bookings.

The interval did nothing to cool tempers and within six minutes of the restart LuaLua had been dismissed for violent conduct.

Todd had originally feigned to butt the Pompey striker but LuaLua appeared to make contact with his headbutt and Andy D'Urso sent him off after consulting his assistant.

That it would be a Portsmouth player that was red-carded had seemed unlikely after four Blackburn players had been yellow-carded in the opening period.

Two of those bookings included Aaron Mokoena and Ryan Nelsen, who were making their Blackburn league debuts.

The New Zealand defender Nelsen picked up his caution as early as the 13th minute.

In the centre of defence Mokoena looked impressive, though just before the break he was deserverdly booked after cynically tripping Kamara.

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Portsmouth were further incensed when Brett Emerton held back Faye.

The two players squared up to one other, before being separated and Emerton was yellow carded by D'Urso.

Fiesty in the tackle, Blackburn were just as spritely going forward after they had survived an early scare when LuaLua's volley narrowly went past the post.

Play switched to the other end and Paul Gallagher almost got on the end of another one of Thompson's cleverly disguised passes.

Gallagher then tried to play in Paul Dickov only to underhit his pass.

As the half ended Gallagher swung in a cross to the far post that O'Neil managedl to head clear.

Portsmouth survived another scare when Hislop lost the flight of a Blackburn corner, but the home side managed to scramble the ball clear.

Looking solid defensively, Blackburn continued to press forward and Thompson's clipped shot went just over the bar.

The win sent Blackburn nine points clear of third-from-bottom Norwich and Faye's dismissal - he was booked for a wild challenge on Friedel - provided a fitting end to a miserable match.

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Portsmouth: Hislop, Stone (Taylor 20), Primus, De Zeeuw,Stefanovic, LuaLua, Faye, O'Neil, Berger, Yakubu,Kamara (Fuller 86).
Subs Not Used: Ashdown, Unsworth, Hughes.

Sent Off: LuaLua (51), Faye (90).

Booked: O'Neil, Faye.

Blackburn: Friedel, Nelsen, Todd, Mokoena, Johansson, Emerton,Tugay (Reid 76), Thompson, Pedersen, Gallagher (Jansen 74),Dickov.
Subs Not Used: Enckelman, Stead, Gray.

Booked: Nelsen, Mokoena, Johansson, Emerton, Tugay, Dickov.

Goals: Pedersen 55.

Att: 19,904.

Ref: A D'Urso (Essex).