Bassett defiant despite defeat

Dave Bassett, his cheery outlook stretched to the limit, returned to his Sheffield home on Saturday night to survey the wreckage of Forest's season and read on Ceefax the erroneous news that he had tendered his resignation.

Although that report was premature, it seems only a matter of time before Bassett's helter-skelter 20-month reign at the City Ground reaches an unsatisfactory conclusion.

The 54-year-old manager has become the scapegoat for Forest's growing woes and suffered angry demands for his resignation during a mass protest by about 400 supporters outside his office in the painful aftermath of this display against a team languishing 20th in the First Division.

Suffering from flu, he did not attend the customary post-match press conference, prompting the BBC's misguided report. But yesterday Bassett, only six months into a three-year contract, responded in typical fighting mood to emphasise that he was not the type to desert a sinking ship even if his hands were tied by the chronic lack of funds forthcoming from a hierarchy viewed as absentee landlords by supporters rapidly running out of patience.

"I am not resigning. I'm still as determined as ever to see out this job," he insisted. "The suggestions that I'm on the verge of resigning are utter nonsense. I'm not going to jack it in but if people are going to sack me there is nothing I can do about it."

Amid the rumpus surrounding Bassett's future it should not be ignored that this was a display by Portsmouth to belie their status as a team struggling at the depths of the First Division and with even greater problems off the pitch.

Steve Claridge, who is having a house called Wembley Heights built in Portsmouth, scored the decisive goal in the 19th minute with a low right-foot drive from 12 yards after Jeff Peron's determined run found the home defenders wanting.

The harsh reality for Forest is that Portsmouth could have increased their advantage whereas the home side lacked penetration in attack and their display was littered with individual errors.

Claridge said: "We thoroughly deserved it. Our problems off the pitch should never be used by the players as an excuse for our poor league form but we've proved we can compete with teams on a higher level.

"I don't want to be too cruel on Forest but some of their passing, even over 10 to 15 yards, kept going astray and they don't look anything like the side that I saw last season.

"I feel sorry for their manager but it's a test of character and I'm sure he will come through it."

With debts totalling more than £5 million, Portsmouth are desperate for the funds that a decent Cup run can generate and their manager Alan Ball was delighted. "The club has been through some awful times in recent weeks but the fans have kept us going and this is for them," he said. "The manager always seems to get it in the neck but maybe some of the Forest players should accept a bit more responsibility."

Nottm Forest: Beasant, Jean, Lyttle, Freedman, Chettle, Hjelde, Stone, Gemmill, Shipperley, Johnson, Bart-Williams. Subs: Doig, Crossley, Quashie, Gray, Harewood.

Portsmouth: Knight, Robinson, F Simpson, McLoughlin, Waterman, Andreasson, Thomson, Peron, Vlachos, Claridge, Igoe. Subs: Phillips, Day, Nightingale, Perrett, R. Simpson.

Referee: A Wilkie (Chester-Le-Street).