ACCRINGTON Stanley’s supporters may have been outnumbered by about 170 to 1, their budget dwarfed and their chances written off by the bookmakers but the Reds returned from Portsmouth with a point and a clean sheet from a game that turned out to be far from a foregone conclusion.

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John Coleman’s obstinate and obdurate side defended superbly to limit the promotion favourites to just two good chances and created enough openings of their own to win it.

All bar 91 in a crowd of close to 16,000 arrived at Fratton Park expecting a home win but most left frustrated at their team’s inability to find a goal.

Coleman reverted back to the eleven that had drawn with Northampton a week earlier, five changes in total to the team that had lost to Bury in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in midweek.

And they started well, with Piero Mingoia heading a Terry Gornell cross straight at goalkeeper Brian Murphy before roles were reversed with the Stanley skipper sending a flying header inches wide from a superb cross.

Portsmouth’s only early attempt came from their captain Michael Doyle, whose chip from the halfway line flew a few feet wide.

The home crowd were putting pressure on referee Brendan Malone but were enraged close to the half hour after an incident between home full back Ben Davies and Stanley’s Sean McConville.

The defender caught McConville late and appeared to make further contact on the ground, provoking what looked like a punch from the winger. Play continued, only for the referee to book both players a minute later.

Stanley keeper Jason Mooney was a virtual spectator until the 45th minute when he parried ex-Red Gary Roberts’ attempt to ensure it remained 0-0 at the break.

With the home crowd restless and expecting an improvement, Stanley delivered their best spell of the game after the restart.

First McConville stole the ball on the edge of the D and drilled a low shot that substitute keeper Paul Jones, who came on at half time, had to turn round the post.

Then another Mingoia cross saw Davies beat his own goalkeeper with a miscued interception, only for the ball to drop wide.

Paul Cook’s side looked short of ideas against his old club and he made a double attacking change but it was still the visitors threatening with Josh Windass firing just over the bar.

The two Pompey forwards introduced did have chances but neither could find the finish, with Tom Davies blocking a strike from Conor Chaplin before Mooney earned his clean sheet bonus.

The prolific Matt Tubbs met a Davies cross inside the area with an acrobatic bicycle kick but the Northern Irish keeper flew to his left to keep it out superbly.

Still Stanley had a chance to take all three points, with Windass guiding a free header from McConville’s corner into the hands of Jones.

Five minutes of stoppage time saw Pompey pour forward but for all they huffed and puffed they barely caused an alarm and it was 91 travelling supporters and the visiting team left to mutually applaud each other at the final whistle in recognition of an encouraging away performance.