Unlucky Town's 2005/06 FA Cup campaign came to an end at the third round stage as Portsmouth left Portman Road with a 1-0 victory. Dario Silva scored the goal in the 36th minute, but the Blues controlled most of the game with Jason De Vos hitting the post in the second half.

Shane Supple and Scott Barron kept their places in goal and at left-back respectively, but Spanish full-back Sito remained on the bench due to his recent ankle problem, with Fabian Wilnis coming in at right-back.

In midfield, skipper Jim Magilton was joined by Gavin Williams, Ian Westlake and Matt Richards. With six frontmen injured and Dean McDonald cup-tied, Danny Haynes was the lone attacker with Darren Currie in the floating role between the midfield and the striker.

Former Colchester United man Lomana Tresor Lua Lua struck the first shot of the game but went wide of Shane Supple's goal.

On eight Darren Currie put a freekick over from 25 yards and a minute later Ian Westlake went slightly closer with an effort from outside the box which only just cleared the bar.

Gary O'Neill went over from 25 yards on the Portsmouth right in the 15th minute as neither goalkeeper was tested. Town were enjoying the better of the opening stages and Gavin Williams was unfortunate to see his shot from just inside the area cannon off Richard Hughes's ear and out for a corner after a neat move on the Town right.

Richard Naylor did well to get back to put a challenge in on Lua Lua in the 18th minute after the Democratic Republic of Congo striker had broken through beyond the Town defence from what appeared to be an offside position. Not long after, Matt Taylor failed to give Supple any problems with a header.

On 27 the Blues came close to scoring. A clever Currie flick sent Barron away on the left, the FA Cup debutant sending in a low ball across the Pompey box, Gregory Vignal semi-clearing to Gavin Williams who screwed his shot wide with the Town support on their feet. It was a great chance and Williams looked as if he felt he should have done much better.

Town continued to look the better side and an exchange of passes between Williams and Currie sent this week's £300,000 signing away but Dejan Stefanovic was across to push the former West Ham man wide.

The Portsmouth goal came in the 36th minute. Gavin Williams lost the ball on the left, Dario Silva switching the play to the Portsmouth left where Matt Taylor was given a free run with right-back Fabian Wilnis drawn into the middle. Taylor's cross was inch-perfect and Silva arrived at the far post to nod down and past Supple.

The goal was harsh on Joe Royle's men after an impressive first half hour or so, but it was the visitors who would finish the half the stronger, Lua Lua missing Supple's left post by millimetres moments after the goal.

As the period drew to a close, a Jason De Vos slip let in Taylor at a tight angle on the Pompey left, but Supple did well to get down to save.

No changes at the break and the Blues again started the half brightly but still failed to seriously test Sander Westerveld in the Portsmouth goal.

On 55 Fabian Wilnis made a superb challenge on Lua Lua to stop the Kinshasa-born frontman from breaking into the Town box. Soon after, Owen Garvan replaced Matt Richards and Sito took over from Jim Magilton as the Blues switched things around. Richard Naylor joined Danny Haynes up front with Fabian Wilnis moving to the centre of the defence and Sito slipping into his usual right-back role.

Naylor's addition to the attack had an immediate effect, Town's Wembley 2000 hero winning an aerial challenge and Danny Haynes getting to the loose ball and shooting across Westerveld right-footed and only narrowly past the post.

Brian Priske became the first player to get his name into referee Dermot Gallagher's notebook for a foul on Scott Barron, although there had been a number of earlier tackles which might have had the Premiership official grabbing for his pencil.

From the resultant freekick the Blues came the closest they would to scoring. Currie whipped the ball in to the near post and Jason De Vos flicked a header off the upright, Andy O'Brien blocking Owen Garvan's rebound on the line.

Dario Silva received a yellow card for taking an age to walk from the field after being replaced with Svetoslav Todorov in the 69th minute. Williams, who had just gone over from 25 yards, added his name to Gallagher's collection for a foul on Richard Hughes just outside the area. Taylor's freekick flew well over the cross-bar.

Naylor headed a Sito cross wide at the far post, just prior to Jimmy Juan taking over from Ian Westlake in midfield.

With five minutes left, Naylor flicked a header to Haynes but the 17-year-old couldn't get a decent contact on the ball which ran across the Portsmouth box but no Town player was on hand to add a final touch.

On 88 Jimmy Juan hit a powerful effort straight at Westerveld from 30 yards as the Blues put on the pressure in the closing stages. Richard Naylor blocked Westerveld's kick out, the ball rebounding towards goal but the former Liverpool keeper was able to get to it before it reached the goal and ahead of the Town player.

The Blues were applauded off, having put in one of the best home displays of the season. The midfield ran the game with Portsmouth hardly looking a Premiership side despite their victory, although Taylor's cross and Silva's header for the goal were both top drawer.

Town's weakness was once again their goal threat, although more chances were created than in most recent matches, and it is little surprise that Joe Royle is looking to add strikers to his squad.

Despite another early exit from the cup, a positive afternoon for Town coming after a Christmas spell where they made slow but steady progress in the right direction.

Town: Supple, Wilnis, Barron, Naylor, De Vos, Magilton (Garvan 56), Richards (Sito 56), Williams, Westlake (Juan 81), Currie, Haynes. Unused: Price, Horlock. Att: 15,593.

Photo: Action Images

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