Yes, Harry, Pompey's entertaining

"I'm sorry about the last 50 years, but at least we've put that record to bed," said the beaming boss of a team that is definitely on the up.

Newcastle were destroyed in an unbelievable opening to a game that revealed the size of the task ahead for United boss Sam Allardyce as much as it backed the notion that Portsmouth no longer need to concentrate on mere survival in the Premier League.

"Apart from a stunning first goal,Portsmouth's win was all about us gifting them the game," said Allardyce. "To say I am disappointed is an understatement. I am devastated."

That first shot across the bows in the eighth minute was indeed breathtaking entertainment, Noe Pamarot taking aim from 25 yards and the ball fizzing past Steve Harper's groping fingers.

If the shock of that goal was not bad enough for the health of Allardyce in front of the North East's biggest crowd of the season, the next three minutes were enough to send him to the funny farm.

A minute later Claudio Cacapa was muscled out of the way all too easily by the Premier League's top scorer, Benjani, who then curled a glorious shot beyond Harper.

Disbelieving home fans might have been tempted to head for the exits when the Brazilian was left on his backside again two minutes later by Nigerian John Utaka,who rounded Harper before slipping in number three while programmes were still being sold at the turnstiles.

Cacapa must have been relieved to be substituted for David Rozehnal to spare further blushes with only 17 minutes played and, as Allardyce later observed, if the former Lyon defender looks himself in the mirror he will know he was not having the best of games.

Hopes of an unlikely comeback had surfaced a minute earlier when Charles N'Zogbia's shot was parried by David James, who further distinguished himself by blocking Michael Owen's follow-up only for the ball to rebound past him into the vacant net off Sol Campbell.

Redknapp huffed and puffed on the touchline while Allardyce tried to impose some discipline into his shell-shocked troops after scurrying to the dugout. "Harry was going mad because his team was still trying to score goals and they wanted to attack even when it was 3-1,' said Allardyce. 'He knew if we got a second goal we could be dangerous,but it never happened and in the second half they sat back knowing they didn't have to score again. We were our own worst enemies."

Redknapp agreed: "The roof would have come off at this place if they scored again but thankfully they didn't and I thought it was a smashing performance."

Part of the reason Newcastle were held at bay was another outstanding display from James, who made crucial saves when he had to do, and the only goal of the second half came in front of travelling fans chanting 'We want seven'. Some folk are never satisfied.

Niko Kranjcar's free-kick from out on the left went straight through lunges from Steven Taylor, who might have got the final touch, and Abdoulaye Faye, leaving Harper unsighted. Glowing in his praise of Benjani, whose pace and power was too much for Newcastle to handle, and Papa Bouba Diop ('a monster'),Redknapp said: "It was a terrific performance, the first three goals were fantastic,we came with a plan and the players carried it out to perfection.

"We had a blatant penalty [Rozehnal's handball] turned down and we have now had five wins on the spin away from home, which shows what a good side we are."

Even Kanu gave a cameo performance in his 10 minutes on the pitch and it is this strength in depth that promises untold riches.

NEWCASTLE (4-4-2): Harper; Taylor, Faye, Cacapa (Rozehnal 18min), Enrique (Martins 57); N'Zogbia, Butt, Barton, Milner (Emre 69); Smith, Owen. Subs (not used): Geremi, Forster. Booked: Smith, Butt.

PORTSMOUTH (4-1-4-1): James; Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Pamarot; Davis; Utaka, Diop, Muntari (Mendes 87), Kranjcar; Benjani (Kanu 76). Subs (not used): Lauren, Taylor, Ashdown. Booked: Distin, Davis.

Referee: C Foy (Merseyside).