Everton 0-1 Portsmouth

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Everton striker Duncan Ferguson scored an own goal to gift Portsmouth their first win of the season.

Ferguson's challenge for Laurent Robert's corner only succeeded in bulleting the ball past Nigel Martyn.

Portsmouth were good value for their first away win in the Premiership since last Boxing Day.

Lomano LuaLua struck the crossbar while Jamie Ashdown's smart save kept out Mikel Arteta's free-kick as Everton laboured to create any openings.

Portsmouth made a confident start and twice LuaLua broke clear down the right, only to make a mess of his final delivery.

Uruguay international striker Dario Silva should have given Pompey a 10th-minute lead but placed his first-time shot from Brian Priske's cross too close to Nigel Martyn allowing the Everton keeper to save.

Richard Hughes appeared to be held and pushed as he attempted to round David Weir, but referee Martin Atkinson waved away penalty appeals.

Portsmouth worked hard as a unit to deny Everton and their effort was underpinned by former Liverpool player Salif Diao who made some key challenges in a midfield anchor role.

Dejan Stefanovic and his fellow Pompey defenders kept Bent in check

In contrast to Portsmouth who were always looking to work the ball into the feet of their pacy front pair, Everton's attacking efforts were one-dimensional as they looked to find the head of Ferguson and hope Marcus Bent could feed off his knock-downs.

Arteta's exquisitely-curled free-kick drew a great save from Ashdown, who also denied Bent, but LuaLua came within inches of giving Pompey the lead when his shot struck the crossbar.

Pompey failed to turn their first-half dominance into a lead and Everton came out fired up for the second half and within minutes Ferguson had a powerful header cleared off the line by O'Neil.

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But having shown himself to be a threat at one end, Ferguson proved a nightmare in his own box on the hour when he rose to challenge for Robert's wickedly delivered corner and headed into his own net.

Everton were at last stung into action and James Beattie - one of three substitutes - headed into the side-netting from close-range.

But for all their huff and puff, Everton's attacking ploy consisted of little more than lumping the ball forward for Beattie and Ferguson.

Portsmouth, in turn, heaped bodies behind the ball and cleared the second-ball when it dropped.

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Everton boss David Moyes:
"It wasn't the sort of football I hope to see us play and it's hard to pick any positives from it.

"It was a very frustrating afternoon and I have no complaints, Portsmouth were the better team.

"They caused us far more problems than we caused them, but you have to take it on the chin and move on."

Portsmouth manager Alain Perrin
"We have conceded two own goals this season and we needed a change of luck and we kept a clean sheet.

"We deserved to win, not only for our efforts today but for all the work we have put in during the week.

"I was concerned we played well in the first half and did not score but I told the players at half-time to continue what they were doing."

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Everton: Martyn, Hibbert, Weir, Yobo, Nuno Valente, Davies (McFadden 66), Arteta, Cahill, Kilbane (Osman 66), Bent (Beattie 66), Ferguson.
Subs Not Used: Wright, Ferrari.

Booked: Davies, Nuno Valente.

Portsmouth: Ashdown, Priske, O'Brien, Stefanovic, Vignal, O'Neil, Hughes, Diao, Robert (Vukic 72), LuaLua (Karadas 79), Silva (Viafara 70).
Subs Not Used: Westerveld, Griffin.

Booked: Hughes.

Goals: Ferguson 60 og.

Att: 36,831

Referee: M Atkinson (W Yorkshire).