Portsmouth 2-2 Aston Villa

By Phil McNulty

Barry hammers home a penalty for Aston Villa

Substitute Juan Pablo Angel rescued a point for Aston Villa after Portsmouth looked to have staged a stirring comeback at Fratton Park.

Gareth Barry put Villa ahead from the spot after 37 minutes when keeper David James fouled Gabriel Agbonlahor.

Matthew Taylor drew Pompey level with a 52nd-minute header, then put them ahead from the spot with 10 minutes left after Barry handled in the area.

Angel fired in two minutes later before Pompey's Pedro Mendes was sent off.

Interview: Portsmouth assistant boss Joe Jordan

Interview: Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill

Pompey boss Harry Redknapp recalled Kanu alongside Lomana LuaLua up front as he went with a more attacking line-up than in the goalless draw at Liverpool.

And Kanu had an opportunity to open the scoring after 15 minutes, but shot narrowly wide on the turn.

Aston Villa keeper Stuart Taylor had to save well from namesake Matthew's free-kick before Portsmouth suffered a setback on the half-hour.

LuaLua pulled up clutching his thigh as he chased a ball into the corner and was replaced by Benjani.

606: DEBATE Under the influence of Martin O'Neill they fought back to earn a good away draw KU 606: Have your say

Villa had shown little attacking intent, but they took the lead seven minutes before the interval as Portsmouth were caught by a counter-attack.

Defender Glen Johnson, back after injury, saw his pass intercepted by Steven Davis, who sent Agbonlahor clear.

He was hauled down by keeper James, who was fortunate to be given only a yellow card by referee Uriah Rennie before Barry thrashed home the spot-kick.

Portsmouth were on level terms seven minutes after the break when substitute Benjani's long cross was met by Taylor, who rose to score with a fine header.

Villa's response was spirited, with James saving from Milan Baros' header then in quite stunning fashion from Barry's quick free-kick.

Benjani wasted the best chance of the second half with 20 minutes remaining, blazing wildly over from Gary O'Neil's cross with Villa's defence exposed.

The game had come to life after the break, with both teams pushing for the winner.

Taylor struck the angle of post and bar with a drive, before he got the chance to put Pompey ahead after Barry handled in the area with 10 minutes left.

He slipped home the penalty, but Pompey's joy was short-lived as Villa drew level two minutes later.

Angel had only been on five minutes, as a replacement for Baros, when he picked up a poor clearance from Sol Campbell and fired home right-footed via a deflection off the former England defender.

To add to the drama, Mendes was then shown red by referee Rennie for a second bookable offence, a foul on Gavin McCann.

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Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp:
"I felt the foul by David James on Gabriel Agbonlahor was only a yellow card. I don't think it was a sending off.

"The kid's as quick as lightning and David's caught him, but we had people coming back to defend and he was going away from goal.

"David was fantastic for us, as he has been all season. Angel's strike was deflected and I think that was the only way anyone was going to beat him from open play.

"It was an entertaining game, with some great end to end stuff being played at a high tempo, and the supporters must have enjoyed it."

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill:
"It didn't look like Portsmouth's defenders were going to get back and Gabriel Agbonlahor looked like he was going to slide it across goal.

"I know Portsmouth had their keeper ready to come on because they thought David James was going to get sent off.

"Gareth Barry admits himself he handled the ball for the penalty for their second goal and this is obviously the poor concession of a goal for us."

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Portsmouth: James, Johnson, Primus, Campbell, Pamarot, O'Neil, Fernandes, Pedro Mendes, Taylor, LuaLua (Mwaruwari 34), Kanu (Hughes 86).
Subs Not Used: Ashdown, Thompson, Kranjcar.

Sent Off: Pedro Mendes (86).

Booked: James, Pedro Mendes.

Goals: Taylor 52, 80 pen.

Aston Villa: Taylor, Mellberg, Cahill, Ridgewell, Barry, Petrov, McCann, Osbourne, Davis (Hughes 90), Baros (Angel 78), Agbonlahor.
Subs Not Used: Olejnik, Bouma, Gardner.

Booked: Ridgewell, Osbourne, Baros, Barry.

Goals: Barry 37 pen, Angel 82.

Att: 20,042

Ref: U Rennie (S Yorkshire).

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