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GOAL: Brett Pitman

POMPEY'S Little and Large stole the show as Kevin Bond was left to lament Cherries' Laurel and Hardy defending.

Beanpole Peter Crouch and the diminutive Jermain Defoe put Cherries to the sword with a three-goal, second-half salvo.

A brace from Crouch, Pompey's £11m record signing, coupled with former Cherries loan star Defoe's third goal in three games helped the visitors ease to victory.

But while Cherries boss Bond may have been "disappointed" with his side's defending, he must also have been heartened by their workmanlike display.

The Fratton faithful arrived to see Harry Redknapp's class of 2008 and must have left purring at the performance of one of their old boys.

And although Sulley Muntari's 24th-minute goal separated the sides at the interval, Darren Anderton certainly claimed the first-half man-of-the-match plaudits.

It was a vintage display from the 36-year-old playmaker who rolled back the years by serving up a passing masterclass.

"He could still play in our team!" raved Pompey boss Redknapp after he had watched Anderton run the opening 45 minutes.

Defoe marked his intent when he drew a fine early save from Shwan Jalal, the Peterborough trialist goalkeeper who impressed throughout.

But Pompey did not have things their own way and Jamie Ashdown was forced to block efforts from Marvin Bartley and Josh McQuoid.

Papa Bouba Diop squandered a glorious chance to open the scoring when he headed Muntari's 15th-minute free-kick straight at Jalal.

And as play quickly switched to the opposite end, Ashdown was forced to beat away Brett Pitman's stinging drive after Richie Le Paet's cross had only been half cleared.

Pompey took the lead midway through the first half when clever link play between England stars Crouch and Defoe created an opening for Muntari.

Crouch knocked a clearance into Defoe's path before the former Cherries loan man's deft pass picked out Muntari just outside the 18-yard box.

And although Jalal raced off his line to narrow the angle, the fleet-footed Ghanaian neatly flicked the ball into the back of the net.

Pitman recovered from a minor knock to warm Ashdown's hands with a fierce low drive, the goalkeeper saving unconvincingly at the second attempt.

The young striker should have done better with an unopposed far post header, spooning his attempt high over the crossbar following a short corner.

Crouch let fly from distance on the stroke of half-time, his drive flashing past Jalal's right-hand post, while Anderton, predictably, was the architect of Cherries' best chance of the opening period, which fell to McQuoid in added time.

The pacey teenage frontman latched on to Anderton's sumptuous slide-rule pass and showed the Pompey defence a clean pair of heels as he headed towards goal. But Ashdown was on hand to ruin the youngster's moment of glory.

Crouch opened his account for Pompey with a rather fortuitous strike two minutes into the second half. The gangly striker went to ground after running into Lee Bradbury, with referee James Linnington curiously awarding a foul against the Cherries defender.

And after Defoe's resultant free kick had been deflected into his path, Crouch displayed his predatory instincts and netted from close range.

Defoe jinked his way past the Cherries defence, only to be foiled by another smart save from Jalal, although the reprieve was merely temporary.

From the resultant corner - hoisted into the six-yard box by Pedro Mendes - Crouch applied a trademark header into the roof of the net for his second and Pompey's third.

As Pompey moved up a gear, they went close to adding a quickfire fourth when Defoe slipped the offside trap but side-footed wide from a tight angle.

Ryan Shotton's low drive was saved by Ashdown before Crouch was denied his hat-trick when Jalal dived full length to his left to keep out the striker's snapshot.

Crouch then turned provider for Defoe to bag his third goal of a fruitful pre-season campaign, a majestic flick over Jalal giving the goalkeeper no chance.

Bartley went close with a rasping first-time effort that flew the wrong side of the post before Cherries were finally rewarded for their endeavours with a consolation goal.

The tireless Pitman finished from an acute angle, his teasing lob from close range earning the in-form Channel Islander his third goal in as many games.

11:49pm Monday 21st July 2008

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