This time, it was Aiyegbini Yakubu's turn to make a mockery of Leeds' supposed defence by toe-poking home from two yards.Portsmouth 6 Stefanovic 17, O'Neil 45, 71, Foxe 63, Berger 75, Ayegbini 86Leeds United 1 Smith 19Half-time: 2-1 Attendance: 20,112. A disputed goal and a deflection carried Arsenal four points clear at the head of the Premiership yesterday after their nearest neighbours had threatened to add an unlikely chapter to what has been a bookful of derby-day horror stories at either end of the Seven Sisters Road for the best part of 20 years. The longer the game wore on, the better Portsmouth played, and it came as no surprise when they finally made the three points safe on 63 minutes.Sheringham, who was lurking on the edge of the Leeds area, cushioned a neat header towards Hayden Foxe just outside the D. What the Pompey centre-back was doing in such an advanced position is anyone's guess, but no one in Portsmouth will be complaining this morning as the Australian international took one touch on his chest before rifling in an unstoppable right-foot shot past the diving Paul Robinson.
It was that sort of day for the hapless Leeds, whose fate soon worsened as O'Neil was released by Berger on 71 minutes to slot home from eight yards.Inexplicably, Leeds decided that the best form of defence was attack, and they were promptly caught on the break, as Sheringham picked out Berger's run from deep and then watched as the former Liverpool player skipped past Robinson before side-footing the ball home. In truth, the spate of cards owed much to the home side's intelligent play, with Berger, in particular, pulling the strings magnificently from midfield. Leeds looked to have hung on until the break until 20-year-old midfielder Gary O'Neil, making his first start of the season, restored Portsmouth's lead with a wonderful right-foot volley from 35 yards.Some of the Leeds players must still have faith in Reid, because they emerged from the interval looking hungrier. Within minutes of the restart, Johnson made a good break down the left-hand side of the Portsmouth area before delivering an inch-perfect cross to the unmarked Jermaine Pennant at the far post, but the on-loan midfieldersaw his effort saved.Leeds' enthusiasm quickly spilled over into rashness, though, and three of the visitors were booked in the first 15 minutes of the half. The England international took one touch, rounded Shaka Hislop, and then buried the ball with a deft left-foot chip.It was all Portsmouth thereafter, as they launched attack after attack. It all seemed so easy.Too easy, perhaps, because the home side committed the most cardinal of all football sins and switched off immediately after taking the lead.
Seth Johnson, who has yet to live up to his £7m price tag, threaded a neat ball between two Portsmouth defenders into Smith's path. On 16 minutes, Patrik Berger floated in a corner at the near post, which Dejan Stefanovic rose highest to head home. "The players showed a complete lack of desire," he said, "and you wonder whether they deserve their pay packages."With so much off-field drama, it was easy to forget there was a football match to play yesterday. In fact, the Portsmouth groundsmen very nearly did, as they had not properly checked the floodlights before kick-off and the game was delayed by half an hour.
