Ball hails fan power

PORTSMOUTH 3

HUDDERSFIELD 0

ALAN BALL said the Pompey faithful should give lessons in fan power after his side became masters of their own survival fate yesterday.

He praised the Fratton Park crowd for helping his side win the chance to stay up at Bradford City next week.

And he hit out at reports that he had taken six sides down - he said it's only four.

This Pompey victory saved Ball from adding to the disputed tally, and the man he had to thank was John Durnin.

Fratton Park was a cauldron of noise and the baying fans got the goal they wanted in the 27th minute after Durnin played in Robbie Pethick whose weak shot Darren Edmundson turned past his own keeper.

Huddersfield rallied briefly at the start of the second half but Ball's side got the crucial cushion goal in the 60th minute.

Showing tremendous spirit, Durnin hassled Edmundson into conceding a free kick. From Igoe's cross, Andy Thompson tapped in.

Durnin bagged the third himself after rounding keeper Steve Harper.

Ball said: "It's a massive weekend next week but please God can we do it for those fans!

"We've got it together, the fans and me. And they were absolutely wonderful today.

"They are a lesson to clubs of how to support a team. We were seven points adrift at the bottom of the league and it's wonderful now to be fourth from bottom."

Town manager Peter Jackson added his tribute to the Fratton Park clan.

He said: "They're worth a goal start." And he pledged to go for the win again against strugglers Port Vale next week. "Hopefully we will be coming here next year."

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