Portsmouth

If anyone connected with Portsmouth was in the mood for quoting Rudyard Kipling after the 3-1 defeat at White Hart Lane, they would have done well to ensure that they were as far as possible from manager Harry Redknapp. You know, the lines about meeting with triumph and disaster and treating “those two imposters just the same” which keep getting dragged up at Wimbledon.

The truth is that just a few days into Harry’s second coming, Portsmouth have been transformed, galvanised and revitalised. Though far short of Spurs in ability, they produced a performance of such character and commitment that until 7 minutes from time, they were within touching distance of a point – and make no mistake, a point would have been a triumph.

Thanks to an audacious and spectacular 24th minute strike from Lomana LuaLua, which swept past England keeper Paul Robinson’s despairing dive, Portsmouth led until the 56th minute, when the majestic Ledley King produced a header from a corner which evoked memories of his goal against Arsenal earlier in the season.

Even at this point, Pompey were not out of it and only a world class save from Matthew Taylor’s shot deprived them of a lead. Then disaster struck. The free kick which was Spurs substitute Andy’s Reid’s first real job thundered into Gary O’Neil’s upper arm and referee Uriah Rennie immediately pointed to the spot.

The decision has been described, amongst other things, as ‘controversial’, and it is possible that it was made with indecent haste. The ball was hit very hard. It would have been difficult for O’Neil to get out of the way and as a part of the defensive wall, he would have been rightly criticised for doing so. He was jumping – something which it is impossible to do without using the arms. And given all those considerations, how easy was it for a referee to rule that it was hand to ball, rather than ball to hand?

Spurs fans will contest the view that the penalty cost Portsmouth the game, or at least a point, by referring to Defoe’s last minute strike for the third goal. They should remember this. Mido’s penalty had obliged Harry Redknapp to give Lauren Robert the chance to get off the bench and save the game, so when Defoe beat Griffin there was no cover. Robert does not ‘do’ cover, because cover is defence and Robert does not defend.

That apart, it had been a magnificent and heroic performance from Portsmouth. They deserved, but did not get, a point. For the first time in a long time, they were a team and right up to the last minutes, there were no imposters. Kipling’s poem also contains a reference to filling “the unforgiving minute” with “sixty second’s worth of distance run”. Robert apart, those Portsmouth players did it for ninety, and that was indeed a triumph.

Whether they can forgive Uriah Rennie for helping to turn triumph into disaster is another matter.