Holders Portsmouth crash out to Swansea

FA Cup holders Portsmouth were condemned to an embarrassing fourth round exit as Championship club Swansea won 2-0 at Fratton Park on Saturday.

Last May’s final victory over Cardiff secured Portsmouth’s first FA Cup triumph since 1939 but there will be no repeat this season after a woeful display from Tony Adams’ side.

They were out-fought and out-thought for long periods by Swansea, currently ninth in English football’s second tier, and fell behind when on-loan Southampton winger Nathan Dyer struck in the first half.

Jason Scotland’s penalty on the stroke of half-time left Portsmouth deep in trouble and there was no way back for the Premier League strugglers.

Pompey debutant Jermaine Pennant, newly signed on loan from Liverpool, had a chance to impress with an early long-range effort but he failed to hit the target.

Keeping the ball on the deck at all times, Swansea were having little problem picking the hosts apart and they fully deserved to take the lead in the 26th minute.

To rub salt into Portsmouth’s wounds, it was Dyer, on loan from local rivals Southampton, who delivered the finished touch.

Collecting Scotland’s cute floated pass on the edge of the area, Dyer chested the ball down and drilled it past James into the bottom right corner.

Peter Crouch was denied by Hartlepool keeper Dimi Konstantopoulos and then centre back Alan Tate produced a timely block on an attempt by Pennant.

Adams’ team were too careless at the back though and they were caught on the counter in first-half injury time.

Jordi Gomez dashed into the box and was sent crashing to the turf by defender Nadir Belhadj, who protested his innocence as referee Andre Marriner pointed to the spot.

Trinidad striker Scotland converted the spot-kick to leave Roberto Martinez’s men on the verge of a major shock.

Adams sent on Kanu and Hermann Hreidarsson for the second half in an effort to change his side’s fortunes.

Crouch tumbled beneath a challenge but Marriner was not interested in the shouts for a penalty and moments later Konstantopoulos had to dive to keep out a header from the towering forward.

Swansea almost made it three with another quick break from Dyer but his shot at David James was well held by the England keeper.

A fingertip save from James kept out Gomez and before Konstantopoulos produced a sublime save to deny Kanu.

Crouch struck the woodwork in the final moments as Portsmouth tried to stage a late fightback but it was too little too late.