Managerless Pompey denied by late strike

Peter Crouch, Redknapp's £11million signing from Liverpool, scored what looked certain to be the winner just after the hour when he coolly converted Jermain Defoe's pass after brilliant work by Lassana Diarra.

Pompey had enough chances to win comfortably and put on a treat for the fans until former Spurs defender Younes Kaboul spoiled an otherwise immaculate display by letting in American Dempsey to drill in fellow substitute Erik Nevland's pass.

Although Glen Johnson, Sol Campbell and Sean Davis were all missing, Pompey were the driving force in an absorbing, fast-moving game and had a distinct edge on chances.

Kaboul had a header hacked off the line from an early corner from Diarra and Richard Hughes, Crouch and Armand Traore kept Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer busy.

Schwarzer was Fulham's saviour again just after the half-hour mark when Pompey left-back Nadir Belhadj came dancing through in a superb solo run to hit a shot which the goalkeeper clung onto as Defoe closed in.

But the Defoe-Crouch partnership and Diarra's non-stop industry looked the major differences between the two sides in the second half and, eventually, was bound to pay dividends.

Just after the hour Diarra, back from three games out through suspension and a bad knee, just would not give up when foiled in a solo burst through the centre.

He won back possession, fed Defoe and he laid off the perfect pass for Crouch to drill home and join his partner on six goals for the season.

But victory was denied through Dempsey's late strike and referee Mark Halsey confounded Pompey by denying a late shout for a penalty on substitute Niko Kranjcar in stoppage time.