Pompey set stall out early doors to sink beleagued Leeds!
Porsmouth 6 Leeds 1 [ Saturday 8 November 2003 ]
As the good old tune of 'can we play you every week' echoed around the hallowed halls of Fratton Park, Leeds fans were about to bare witness to their sides most devastating defeat so far this season. A result which surely has sounded the death knoll for Peter Reid's reign as manager for the Yorkshire club.
Unfortunately traffic congestion and floodlight problems delayed the match for 30 minutes.
However, once the game got well and truly underway Pompey gave it to the visitors with both barrells and then some! Beleaguered Leeds were at sixes and sevens as all hands to pump were mustered in an attempt to thrwart the constant onslaught of attacks on their goal.
Teddy Sheringham very nearly scored within the first half hour after the Leeds defence allowed the veteran striker to cruise right through onto Sebastien Schemmel's long ball, with Paul Robinson and only just scrapping the danger away.
Just six minutes later the large Serbian defender Stefanovic was left totally unmarked to head in a Patrik Berger corner six minutes later. The Leeds slaughter seemed just about to start in earnest.
However, shortly after Seth Johnson passed a peach of a through ball to Alan Smith who clinically slotted home an equaliser to place the Yorkshiremen on equal terms.
Pompey despite solid, well-chanelled pressure, might have fluffed their lines when Sheringham missed with a header and O'Neil fluffed an easy chance from 12 yards out.
In first half stoppage time, Gary Kelly only managed to half clear from Stone to allow the England Under-20 international to fire home a spectactular trade mark volley into the bottom right hand corner.
The Leeds defence were having a nightmare despite the return of Matteo and Michael Duberry, though Jermaine Pennant did have a chance before the floodgates were well and truly opened, shooting straight at Pompey keeper Shaka Hislop.
But then Hayden Foxe moved up from the back to stretch the lead to 3-1 with a shot from Sheringham's flick-on in the 63rd minute, before O'Neil tapped in Berger's pass eight minutes later with the Leeds back-four again all at sea.
Berger skipped round Paul Robinson to knock Sheringham's through ball into an empty net for 5-1 in the 75th minute and Leeds were on their knees when Yakubu forced home the sixth goal at the second attempt five minutes from the end.
Portsmouth (4-4-2)
Hislop, Shemmel, Foxe, Stefanovic, de Zeeuw, Stone (Taylor 84), Sherwood, O'Neil, Berger, Sheringham, Ayegbini.
Subs (not used) Zivkovic, Wapenaar, Roberts, Primus.
Booked de Zeeuw.
Leeds (4-4-2)
Robinson, Kelly, Matteo, Duberry, Olembe, Pennant (Sakho 56), Morris, Roque Junior (Bridges 72), Johnson, Smith, Milner.
Subs (not used) Camara, Harte, Carson.
Booked Olembe, Johnson, Smith, Matteo.