Fulham Super Sub Erik Nevland gets two goals

The future of Portsmouth manager Tony Adams continues to be under severe scrutiny after Fulham secured a comfortable victory at Craven Cottage.

Portsmouth have now gone eight league games without a victory and a first-half strike by Andrew Johnson plus two goals from substitute Erik Nevland piled on the agony for Adams.

Portsmouth substitute David Nugent scored an 84th-minute consolation but Pompey never looked capable of saving the game.

Fulham's win lifts them to ninth in the table but Portsmouth are set to spend the rest of the season fighting for their Premier League future.

Fulham, who introduced new loan signing Giles Barnes from Derby prior to kick-off, struggled to find any fluidity until Johnson put them ahead with their first real move of the game in the 14th minute.

Clint Dempsey's through ball provided Johnson with the opportunity to beat the offside trap.

Portsmouth captain Sylvain Distin was slow to move up with the rest of his defence and Johnson ran on to side-foot the ball beyond David James for the opener.

Pompey's response saw Mark Schwarzer tested for the first time in the game when former Fulham player Sean Davis drilled a low shot towards the bottom corner in the 18th minute.

The Fulham goalkeeper dived to his right to clutch the ball on his line.

But it was an isolated attempt on goal from the visitors who were now having to do most of the defending.

On the half-hour, a superb pass from Davies and dreadful error by Distin, allowed Johnson clear on goal for a second time.

Distin completely missed the ball but Johnson's shot was turned away for a corner by James.

In the 37th minute, Schwarzer tipped over another long-range effort from Davis as Pompey looked for an equaliser.

They almost succeeded six minutes before the break when Younes Kaboul rose unmarked to plant a header against the crossbar.

Fulham's Dickson Etuhu pounced first to clear the rebound as Kaboul looked to score at the second attempt.

Portsmouth's passing left a lot to be desired and Jermaine Pennant's early threat on the right wing had now been eradicated by the pace of Paul Konchesky.

Adams had clearly decided that Kanu was not completely match-fit as he replaced the veteran striker with Nugent at half-time.

The visitors went close to equalising in the 46th minute but Hermann Hreidarsson's free-kick went just the wrong side of the upright.

Portsmouth felt they should have had a penalty moments later when John Pantsil appeared to foul Nugent on the edge of the six-yard box but referee Alan Wiley rejected their appeals.

Wiley was at the centre of more controversy again in the 51st minute when he rejected another penalty appeal after Pantsil collided with Peter Crouch.

Distin then headed wide from close range as Portsmouth, for the first time in the game, began to dismantle Fulham's defence.

Bobby Zamora, who had been poor all game, was finally allowed to disappear from the action when he was replaced by Nevland in the 63rd minute.

Moments later Portsmouth replaced Traore with John Utaka in a clear attempt to try to snatch at least a point from the contest.

The change almost brought instant results with Utaka firing a 20-yard volley just wide of the target.

Pantsil rescued Fulham in the 68th minute when Nugent burst down the right and set up Crouch. But the England striker was denied by a last-ditch tackle from the Fulham defender.

But Nevland killed off Portsmouth with two goals in nine minutes. First he collected a pass from Davies to speed clear of the defence and beat James in the 71st minute.

Then 10 minutes from time he turned and fired home another pass from Davies before Nugent scored a consolation goal for Pompey in the 84th minute.

Portsmouth manager Tony Adams:
"I do my job to the best of my ability. It has been a tough period. The last two months have been difficult both on and off the pitch.

"I'll be delighted when the transfer window closes. Heads have been turned up and down the country. Once it is closed we can get on with business.

"We made mistakes. We gambled on offsides. It is disappointing because we worked hard in training on that."

Fulham manager Roy Hodgson:
"They are a good team and playing quite well. I am sure if they continue to do that they won't be losing every match 3-1.

"There is no magic wand in this game. It is work in the end which brings its rewards and, of course, the quality of the players you have at your disposal.

"I was pleased by the solidity of our performance and delighted by the runs of our front players to get in behind their defenders."

Fulham: Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Dempsey (Gera 90), Etuhu, Murphy, Davies, Zamora (Nevland 63), Johnson.
Subs Not Used: Zuberbuhler, Teymourian, Gray, Stoor, Kallio.

Goals: Johnson 14, Nevland 71, 80.

Portsmouth: James, Johnson, Kaboul (Pamarot 76), Distin, Hreidarsson, Pennant, Davis, Mullins, Armand Traore (Utaka 63), Kanu (Nugent 46), Crouch.
Subs Not Used: Begovic, Lauren, Mvuemba, Little.

Booked: Mullins.

Goals: Nugent 84.

Att: 23,722

Ref: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire).