English Premiership: Portsmouth 0 Chelsea 2The scoreline here produced few raised eyebrows, despite the fact that it has been Portsmouth's prolific scoring at home that has sustained their fragile season.
But until Hernan Crespo scored the second goal, with little more than 10 minutes remaining, Chelsea always looked in danger of being caught by an inferior but dogged Portsmouth side.
From the start there was a verve about Chelsea's movement that promised an industrious afternoon for Shaka Hislop.
As early as the third minute Jesper Gronkjaer, whose leggy pace on the left disconcerted Portsmouth, fed the ball to Wayne Bridge, whose fine cross just eluded the far post and the onrushing Adrian Mutu.
Bridge, admirably immune to that special reception Portsmouth supporters reserve for former Southampton players, was at his measured best and combined almost telepathically with Gronkjaer.
In the ninth minute, Gronkjaer, given acres in which to operate, sent in a cross from the left that replicated Bridge's and again Mutu and the right post looked on with anxiety.
But before Chelsea scored, Portsmouth too had their opportunities, particularly when, in the eighth minute, Eyal Berkovic's splendid vision allowed him to thread the ball through to Yakubu Aiyegbeni. Neil Sullivan galloped from his line to save the day.
The goal came from a throw-in by Gronkjaer on the left. It went to Bridge, who moved it to Scott Parker, who exchanged passes with Mutu before driving the ball high into Hislop's net for his first goal since his controversial move from Charlton.
When Frank Lampard, who was making his 100th league appearance for Chelsea, went close with an effort that dribbled past the right post five minutes later, there was a suspicion that Portsmouth might be overwhelmed by the London side.
They almost equalised, however, in the 25th minute when Sullivan made a mess of his clearance, sending the ball straight to John Terry, who rolled it into Aiyegbeni's flight path.
But the forward, partnering Ivica Mornar in the absence of the injured Teddy Sheringham, blazed over the bar.
There are some managers in the Premiership who enjoy the luxury of multiple options and Portsmouth's Harry Redknapp is not normally one of them. But having pulled seven players through the transfer window he was able to leave such players as Matthew Taylor and Steve Stone on the bench, alongside the new signing Lomana LuaLua.
One of Redknapp's new boys, Patrik Berger, gave Chelsea another fright just after half an hour when, rather laboriously, he worked the ball on to his dangerous left foot before unleashing a fierce drive that crashed against the foot of the post.
Chelsea looked in need of a break as much as Portsmouth.
Portsmouth were fortunate not to ship more goals when Chelsea failed to make the most of spell-binding runs from Gronkjaer and Lampard. But this was not a one-sided encounter and Chelsea had cause for relief when Nigel Quashie picked out Berger, who just failed to control the ball.
Berger appeared to be punished for this in the 52nd minute when he was replaced by Lomana LuaLua. But the midfielder's laboured exit betrayed an injury.
Chelsea, too, altered their manpower in the 63rd minute when Mutu was replaced by Crespo.
It was a compliment to a Portsmouth defence who had organised themselves soundly around the pillars of Arjan de Zeeuw and Petri Pasanen.
But the clinching goal was worth waiting for. It followed a delicious pass from Lampard from which Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink almost scored.
But when his effort rebounded from the bar Crespo was there to chest the ball over the line.
PORTSMOUTH: Hislop, Primus, De Zeeuw, Pasanen, Stefanovic, Quashie, Faye, Berger (LuaLua 56), Berkovic (Taylor 84), Mornar, Yakubu. Subs Not Used: Wapenaar, Curtis, Hughes. Booked: Stefanovic.
CHELSEA: Sullivan, Melchiot, Gallas, Terry, Bridge, Gronkjaer, Parker (Cole 74), Lampard, Makelele, Mutu (Crespo 62), Gudjohnsen (Hasselbaink 71). Subs Not Used: Ambrosio, Huth. Booked: Parker, Crespo. Goals: Parker 17, Crespo 79.
Referee: G Poll (Hertfordshire).
