THE FA Cup holders are still in the competition but this sterile stalemate did nothing to dispel the impression that they are a club in decline. Tony Adams, the manager, has won just three of his first 15 matches in charge and could do without the potential banana skin of a replay at Ashton Gate in nine days.

The Portsmouth fans, disillusioned by the sale of Lassana Diarra and the impending departure of Jermain Defoe, are turning out in ever-dwindling numbers. This was the lowest crowd of the season at Fratton Park. Portsmouth were booed off but they had the lion’s share of possession, had the best player on view in Niko Kranjcar and if either side deserved to win, it was them. That said, City, who are 12th in the Championship, rarely looked in danger. That was down to Adams, without Defoe because of a “heavy cold”, deploying a 4-5-1 formation.

“It was important for us to keep a clean sheet,” Adams said. “We’ve been committing suicide at home of late. Throwing everyone forward and getting beat three and four is not the way to run a football club.”

Portsmouth would have scored in the 16th minute but for a notable save by Adriano Basso from Sylvain Distin’s header. For City, the manager’s son, Lee Johnson, shot wide when well placed after penetrative work by Ivan Sproule. That was the sum of it in an instantly forgettable first half. After that, things could only improve. To collective relief, they did.

Kranjcar ought to have scored, but headed wastefully wide from Peter Crouch’s right-wing cross. Crouch missed a good chance, too, after being set up by David Nugent. City might have burgled a win after 70 minutes when David James produced a crucial save, tipping over from Bradley Orr.

City manager Gary Johnson said he was “proud of the boys”, while Adams immediately turned his attention to halting Portsmouth’s slide in the Premier League. He hopes to bring in “three or four” players during the transfer window.

Star man: Niko Kranjcar (Portsmouth)

Yellow cards: Portsmouth: Belhadj Bristol City: John

Referee: P Dowd

Attendance: 14,446

PORTSMOUTH: James 6, Wilson 5, Distin 6, Campbell 6, Belhadj 5, Cranie 5 (Pamarot 82min), Nugent 5, Mvuemba 6, Davis 6, Kranjcar 8, Crouch 6

BRISTOL CITY: Basso 6, Orr 6, McCombe 7, Carey 6, Fontaine 7, Skuse 6, Elliott 7, Johnson 6, Sproule 6 (Williams 64min), Styvar 6 (McAllister 83min), John 6 (Adebola 62min)

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