Portsmouth 1-1 Chelsea

Feb 3 2008 James Cairns Reports

JERMAIN DEFOE became an instant Fratton Park hero with a debut strike - then insisted it's just a taste of things to come.

The former Tottenham star signed a £7.5million deal on deadline day and made an immediate impact yesterday.

His strike cancelled out Nicolas Anelka's second half opener but Defoe insists it could have been even sweeter.

He said: "We could have won it in the end and I thought I'd scored again late on but it dropped just wide.

"Although you'll always regret things like that I'll take the one goal. I've come here to score and help the team get three points every week.

"Hopefully that's just the start but we showed today we've a lot of quality."

Chelsea, just seven points off the Premier League pace at kick-off time, were chasing a club-record 10th win in a row in the league and over Pompey.

But it was the home side who started brightest with Lassana Diarra, the former Chelsea midfielder, picked out on-loan Milan Baros in five minutes but the striker skied off-target from 20 yards.

Michael Ballack missed for Chelsea soon after, ballooning over the bar despite being afforded time and space.

Diarra tested Chelsea keeper Petr Cech with a firm drive from distance while Niko Kranjcar's powerful free-kick was next to worry the Czech international.

Pompey were living dangerously at the back with Sol Campbell hauling down Juliano Belletti on the edge of the box.

Florent Malouda's set-piece strike spun away for a corner and Belletti dropped the kick on to Ballack's head only for Kranjcar had to nod the ball off the line.

At the other end, Pompey were soon claiming for two penalties.

First the ball appeared to brush Makelele's arm before Ballack seemed to stamp on Richard Hughes.

Ref Webb rejected both claims before Noe Pamarot smashed a header off Cech's left-hand post in 37 minutes.

In first half injury time, Anelka was presented with a golden chance when Malouda's pass set the striker up only for David James to block well.

But Chelsea did make the breakthrough in 55 minutes with Anelka's second goal for the club. Malouda galloped away down the left and his cross reached Joe Cole whose chest down set up the Frenchman to volley into the net.

Instead of caving in Pompey hit back through Defoe nine minutes later. A clearance by James was headed on by Baros and Defoe kept cool to score.

James performed wonders keeping out Belletti's shot and Pamarot and Campbell both hacked away follow-up efforts as Chelsea looked for a winner.

Defoe could have won it late on with a neat chip that just glanced wide.

Chelsea boss Avram Grant said: "We created the better chances but Portsmouth are a difficult side to face. They did well but we're not happy."