Reading 0
Portsmouth 2 (Campbell 9, Utaka 66)

Ten-man Reading never recovered from a terrible start and were well beaten by Portsmouth today.

The game began with Ibrahima Sonko sent off after just three minutes for a professional foul. The resulting penalty from Niko Kranjcar hit the post, but it was only the briefest of respites.

Bobby Convey then had a great chance to put us in front, and that proved to be our best opportunity.

On nine minutes, Portsmouth took the lead and never looked back. An error from Marcus Hahnemann presented Sol Campbell with a goal, and the defender was definitely offside, but the goal was wrongly allowed to stand.

Benjani hit the bar and Papa Bouba Diop missed a sitter just before the break, and in truth it was comfortable for Harry Redknapp's men.

Reading huffed and puffed in search of a goal, but the game was sealed on 66 when John Utaka outpaced Nicky Shorey and scored with ease.

That dreadful start just proved too much to overcome, and it was a disappointing start to the new year.

Reading: Hahnemann; Murty (c), Shorey (De La Cruz 71), Ingimarsson, Sonko; Cisse, Harper, Hunt, Convey (Bikey 7); Doyle (Long 83), Kitson
Subs: Federici, Lita
Booked: Murty (foul 23), Cisse (foul 63), Bikey (foul 81)
Sent off: Sonko (professional foul 3)

Portsmouth: James; Johnson, Hreidarsson, Campbell (c), Distin; Diop, Hughes (Lauren 83), Kranjcar (Taylor 89), Muntari, Utaka; Benjani (Kanu 63)
Subs: Begovic, Nugent
Booked: Hughes (foul 58)

Ref: M Dean

Attendance: 24,084

First half
The start of the game was, quite simply, disastrous for the Royals.

With three minutes on the clock, a very loose touch from Graeme Murty allowed Portsmouth to gain possession in midfield, and Benjani was played in over the top.

Ibrahima Sonko was in close attendance, but allowed the Zimbabwean to get on the wrong side of him. Benjani got into the area, and Sonko clearly fouled him. The penalty and red card were sadly inevitable.

Thankfully there was a reprieve, with Niko Kranjcar's penalty smacking off the post and eventually scrambled clear.

We went straight up the other end, and Bobby Convey had a great chance as he rushed in on Kevin Doyle's cross, but he poked it wide.

It was Convey's last contribution, as he was sacrificed for Andre Bikey.

Then a combination of individual errors and questionable officiating saw Portsmouth go in front. A free kick from the right wing was floated in, and Marcus Hahnemann fumbled it, despite being unchallenged.

As it fell from his hands, it was flicked on by Papa Bouba Diop, and Sol Campbell was offside as it came to him, but the flag stayed down and he turned into the empty net, probably off his chest.

It was a horribly scrappy goal, and defensively we were all at sea. Steve Coppell left his Director's Box seat to come down to the dugout much earlier than normal.

Graeme Murty went in the book soon after, and was lucky not to be carded again when he pulled Sylvain Distin's shirt on the left wing. From the free kick, Murty's header went to John Utaka, and he volleyed over.

With 32 on the clock, Dave Kitson had a decent chance as Diop inadvertently headed toward his own goal. It was not easy as it bounced on the edge of the box, and his shot was saved comfortably enough by David James.

A moment later, Sulley Muntari tried his luck but it was straight at Hahnemann. Portsmouth were finding holes in our defence, and whenever we had the ball our passing was not up to scratch.

On 40, Hahnemann just did enough to divert Diop's goalward header.

Almost immediately, Diop had a sitter but headed over from Hermann Hreidarsson's deep cross.

Three minutes before the break, superb persistence from Stephen Hunt and then Kevin Doyle created a good chance for Doyle. He got his shot away, and it looked to be going through James' legs, but the keeper just closed them in time and it clipped his heel to deflect agonisingly wide.

In injury time, a very nice Pompey move saw them come desperately close to a second. A right wing cross saw Benjani put a header against the bar with Hahnemann beaten. The rebound fell to Hermann Hreidarsson, but our keeper was able to gather on the line.

We had been all at sea right from the start, and although Portsmouth's goal was very questionable to say the least, our defending had been well below par.

Second half
The Royals tried hard to get back into the game, but found it difficult against the visitors' numerical advantage.

Kalifa Cisse and James Harper both tried their luck from the edge of the box, but shot over. Cisse also tried an acrobatic volley but it was blocked.

On 66 the inevitable second Pompey goal came. Utaka was given a ball to chase over the top, and he completely beat Nicky Shorey for pace, rounded Hahnemann and slotted home comfortably.

The game was over at that point.

Hahnemann made a low save from Glen Johnson, but it was all very tame stuff.

On 82, Hunt had a great chance to give us a glimmer of hope, but produced a complete airshot when trying to volley Doyle's cross.

Muntari was inches wide with a long-range strike in the dying embers.

In injury time, a Portsmouth mixup almost gave us a chance, but it was hacked away as our frontmen closed in.

As the final whistle came, it was obviously a very disappointing way to begin the year.

We had never recovered from that awful start, and Portsmouth were always in control.

Their first goal was clearly offside, but there can be no doubt who was the better side.