December 1-4: A Good Point On Anfield's Thick Mud

Friday 2:  Pompey take their flagging League Championship retention hopes to Anfield tomorrow, where they will face Liverpool. The Merseysiders are still unbeaten this season - a total of 18 matches. 

Bill Hindmarsh, Jimmy Scoular and Len Phillips all return to the Pompey side to face Liverpool tomorrow. They replace Jimmy Stephen, Jimmy Elder and Duggie Reid respectively.

The full Pompey side to face Liverpool at Anfield tomorrow will be: Butler, Hindmarsh, Ferrier, Scoular, Spence, Dickinson, Harris, Ekner, Clarke, Phillips, Froggatt.

Liverpool are expecting a big crowd for the visit of Pompey tomorrow. The Blues are always an attraction on Merseyside, and some locals are billing the league leaders versus reigning Champions clash as the match of the century! 

Pompey Reserves are at home to Chelsea Reserves tomorrow. Kick-off is at 2.15pm. Team: Humpston, Stephen, Earl, Gunter, Flewin or Cairney, Andrews, Gordon, Delapenha, Reid, Barlow, Bennett. 

Pompey "A" have a Hampshire League fixture against Andover Reserves tomorrow. The team will be: Aslett, Turner, Mansell, Hazell, Howard, Duggins, King, Macdonald, Ames, Henderson, Henwood. 

Saturday 3:  Conditions at Anfield are deplorable, with thick, cloying mud in some areas of the pitch and pools of water in others, but the Liverpool v Pompey game goes ahead. Kick off is at 2.15pm.

The final whistle has sounded at Anfield where Pompey have picked up an excellent away point against the unbeaten League leaders. 

Final score: Liverpool 2 - 2 Pompey Pompey goalscorers: Peter Harris, Ike Clarke. Attendance: 44,851

Liverpool and Pompey defied the appalling conditions to share four goals and provide a pulsating spectacle for a crowd of 44,851 at Anfield this afternoon. The Blues twice fought back after conceding a goal to earn a valuable away point.

Cyril Done nodded Liverpool ahead after 29 minutes but Pompey levelled when Dan Ekner set up a chance for Peter Harris four minutes later. It was all-square at the half-time interval. 

Liverpool restored their lead through another effort by Done four minutes into the second-half, but Ike Clarke secured a point for Pompey after 65 minutes, seizing on a lucky rebound and stroking the ball into an empty net.

It was a game that could have gone either way, and both sides are likely to be content with a share of the spoils. Liverpool still have their unbeaten certificate but Pompey proved that they can still live with the best teams in the country.

Tonight Pompey sit in seventh place in the First Division table with 21 points from 19 matches, eight points behind leaders Liverpool. Manchester United, Arsenal, Wolves, Burnley and Blackpool occupy the other top seven places.

A goal from Phil Gunter seven minutes from time gave Pompey Reserves a 1-0 victory over Chelsea Reserves at Fratton Park this afternoon. 

Match Summary: Liverpool 2, Portsmouth 2

Portsmouth Reserves1, Chelsea Reserves 0

Pompey, Twice In Arrears, Hold Reds To Draw - by Ranger

Final Spurt Gave Reserves Victory - by Stroller

(From tonight's Football Mail)

Sunday 4:  “Battling Pompey showed they're real champions" - from today's Sunday papers.

"Never-say-die Portsmouth twice anchor the giants" - more from today's Sunday papers.

Dan Ekner, Pompey's young Swedish forward, is the talk of his home town according to this report in one of today's Sunday papers.