Birmingham City vs. Portsmouth

Pompey keeper David James conceded the penalty after colliding with Sebastian Larsson when his eyes were following the ball as it went across the box.Birmingham just about deserved their victory as they were the better of two poor sides with more punch up front.

Decent chances were scarce and the match looked destined for a goalless draw until the late penalty drama.

Sebastian Larsson's header from a Gregory Vignal cross was the stand-out moment of a largely forgettable first half, full of errors and short on real creativity.

Cameron Jerome was bearing down on goal but Vignal's ball from the left went just over the top of the striker and instead landed on the head of Larsson, who was standing behind him.

The former Arsenal player did not seem to be expecting to be asked to head the ball and put his effort over from close range, when with a bit more composure he should at least have been able to test James.

Portsmouth's lone striker Frederic Piquionne stretched Birmingham keeper Joe Hart once shortly before the break with a low shot which was pushed behind, but this was a rare moment of excitement for the travelling fans.

Birmingham carried more threat in the first half so it was doubly disappointing when they lost two of their most dangerous looking players, Vignal and Jerome, to injury in the opening minutes of the second half.

Hayden Mullins must have been glad that an offside flag spared his blushes after he deflected Niko Kranjcar's goalbound shot behind, but it was still Birmingham who had the upper hand, with James twice called into action.

First, the England keeper did well to tip over Larsson's free-kick from the edge of the box, and then Kevin Phillips, on for Jerome, drew a full stretch save with the most exciting incident of the game so far.

McFadden sent a long free-kick straight down the middle to Garry O'Connor, who nodded back into the path of the advancing Phillips, and his snap shot was pushed behind by James.

It looked like the former Aston Villa keeper would deal with whatever Birmingham could throw at him but just as the game moved into stoppage-time his night turned sour.

McFadden netted Birmingham's first goal of the season from the spot, and despite John Utaka going close down the other end for Pompey, as there was no time for a comeback.