Portsmouth 7 (Benjani 7, 37, 70, Hreidarsson 55, Kranjcar 75, Ingimarsson og 81, Muntari pen 90)
Reading 4 (Hunt 45, Kitson 49, Long 78, Shorey 90+2)
Portsmouth: James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson, Davis, Diop, Muntari, Kranjcar, Benjani (Nugent 78), Utaka
Subs: Ashdown, Taylor, Pamarot, Mendes
Reading: Hahnemann, Murty (Long 75), Shorey, Duberry, Ingimarsson, Gunnarsson (Fae 75), Harper, Rosenior, Hunt, Kitson, Doyle
Subs: Federici, Bikey, Lita
Att; 20,102
Ref M Halsey
2.39pm The ground is filling up nicely and it promises to be a lively atmosphere as always at Portsmouth.
2.40pm The pitch will be slick after a heavy downpour earlier, but at least Pompey have put a roof over the away end now!
2.49pm Reading will be wearing the new silver and black away kit this afternoon, with Portsmouth in their familiar blue shirts, white shorts and red socks.
2.50 Our last two visits here have resulted in 1-3 and 0-3 defeats. Prior to that, we gained a 2-0 victory in September 1997 with goals from Lee Hudges and Martin Williams.
2.56pm Final preparations now. Both sets of players are off the pitch for the final pre-match talk. It's a grey but mild day, dry at the moment but more rain quite possibly on the way.
2.57pm Players still not out. Reading fans are occupying two-thirds of the end to our right. It should be pretty much a full house.
2.58pm Here they come, Reading led out by Graeme Murty and Portsmouth by Sol Campbell.
2.59pm Each player is accompanied by a player this afternoon as part of the Premier League Creating Chances.
3pm Both teams will be playing a 4-4-2 formation this afternoon. The battle between Davis & Diop v Harper & Gunnarsson will be an interesting one in the centre of midfield.
1 mins We're off! Reading get us underway, playing from right to left as we look, so Marcus Hahnemann has the visiting fans at his back.
2 mins Early play is in Portsmouth's half but without any threat on their goal.
3 mins Great run by Kevin Doyle, and a neat layoff to Stephen Hunt who gets into the box with a nutmeg on Glen Johnson but slices his cross behind.
5 mins Pompey awarded free kick 30 yards out after shove by Michael Duberry on Benjani. Muntari tries his luck but it's a weak effort and well wide.
7 mins GOAL! James Harper is dispossessed in midfield after a risky pass by Liam Rosenior. Benjani releases John Utaka down the left and his precise cross finds Benjani for a simple close range tap in. 1-0 to Portsmouth.
9 mins Another crossing chance for Hunt but this one is overhit. A pass to the overlapping Nicky Shorey might have been the best option. Pompey fans in good voice as you'd expect with the early goal.
12 mins Brief delay as David James changes his boots. Reading have actually started reasonably well and had decent possession, which makes the goal even more frustrating. It came from Pompey's only real attack.
16 mins After a quiet spell Ivar Ingimarsson has to concede a corner under pressure from Benjani. Kranjcar delivers and Hahnemann fumbles at the far post but Diop hooks wide.
18 mins Duberry scrambles hastily clear after Utaka brings down a long ball. Then Diop breaks down the right and delivers a dangerous that Benjani can't control.
19 mins Hunt's left wing cross bounces up and Doyle tries and overhead kick from 18 yards but fails to make true connection.
22 mins Benjani finds space on the left and threads a ball inside to Kranjcar on the edge of the box. He darts past Murty but Hahnemann is able to sprint off his line and smother.
24 mins Portsmouth are in control now and Reading are struggling to create anything.
25 mins Diop down for treatment to a head injury after an aerial collision with Gunnarsson.
26 mins Hunt takes a kick on the ankle from Utaka and Reading have a free kick in a good advanced position on the left. Rosenior delivers an excellent cross but James comes out well to punch clear.
29 mins Kranjcar has space 25 yards out to receive Muntari's short pass and advance to the edge of the box, but he drags a right footed shot wide.
30 mins Distin breaks from defence and sprints down the left to deliver a low cross that finds Utaka unmarked but he blazes over from 15 yards. Best chance apart from the goal.
31 mins Sol Campbell clatters into Kitson's back, it's a Royals free kick 35 yards out. Shorey dinks in an inviting ball but it's just too high for Kitson. Pompey break and the impressive Kranjcar plays a one-two on the edge of the box with Muntari but misplaces his shot high and wide.
34 mins Persistence from Kranjcar wins it in midfield and he lays off to Diop, who tries a skidding shot from distance that Hahnemann dives to his right to turn away for a corner. Pompey waste the corner with a near post ball that Harper clears.
36 mins Harper's charge forward sparks a Reading attack and it ends with Shorey's cross being scrambled away.
37 mins GOAL. Pompey retain possession and it comes to Benjani, who jinks past Ingimarsson before sliding a well placed low shot into the bottom right corner. 2-0, Benjani again.
43 mins Amazing save by Hahnemann. A lightening break by Pompey sees Utaka cross to the far post where Benjani nods it back across goal and Johnson has a seeming tap in from six yards, but Hahnemann somehow tips it out. The resulting corner is cleared as far as Davis whose rifling volley flies inches over the bar. Pompey are running riot.
45 mins GOAL! Royals back in it! Doyle crosses from the right and all sorts of ricochets fly across as Rosenior and Kitson have efforts cleared off the line before it falls to Hunt who nods home from close range. 2-1.
Half-time whistle blows after one minute of added time.
That goal gives the Royals a real lifeline and to be honest it didn't look like coming. Hopefully that scrambled goal will give us something to build on in the second half. Without it, we looked dead and buried but now there is hope! How important may that wonder save from Hahnemann prove?
46 mins We're underway for the second period, Reading winning an early free kick for offside.
47 mins Promising early break as Shorey feeds Hunt on the overlap and his good cross is cleared at the near post.
48 mins Doyle turns into space 30 yards and tries to clip it to Kitson, but James comes out to clear.
49 mins GOAL! 2-2 and a great goal for Kitson! Hunt plays a long ball forward down the left and James comes haring out. Kitson gets there before him and taps it past him, before arrowing a brilliant narrow angled left footed shot into the net from close to the left touchline. What a comeback!
50 mins Let-off for Reading as Utaka breaks at pace into the box and lifts it over Hahnemann. Duberry heads off the line but it drops loose to Krancjar whose angled drive is parried wide by Hahnemann.
51 mins This time it's the Royals with a great chance as Doyle has space down the left and his low cross picks out the unmarked Harper who somehow fires over with his left foot from 10 yards.
52 mins Pompey have it in the net but it's disallowed for offside. Johnson's cross, Diop's header but it won't count.
It is one heck of a game at the moment, but not a lot of great defending going on!!
55 mins GOAL .Pompey back ahead as Distin sends over a seemingly routine cross from the left but Hahnemann is beaten to it by Hreidarsson's near post leap and glancing header into the net. 3-2.
58 mins Rosenior makes an excellent shot-preventing challenge on Muntari and stays down injured afterwards, needing treatment.
60 mins Doyle has it on the left and sends over a cross which Kitson flicks goalwards but he's under pressure and can't get any direction on it.
62 mins Krancjar fires in a fierce drive from 25 yards but Hahnemann is behind it all the way and gathers. The game has quietened down a little after that crazy ten minute start to the half.
64 PENALTY! Kitson flicks the ball up on the edge of the box and it flicks a hand. No hesitation from referee Halsey, and Shorey steps up...but James saves by diving to his left. Chance goes begging.
Pompey sub Matthew Taylor is the first booking for his sidelines protest to the decision.
James' penalty save resulted in a corner which Hunt swings over dangerously. Gunnarsson nods goalwards but Pompey scramble away.
68 mins Another corner, this time won by Hunt. Rosenior delivers but Campbell get it away and then Portsmouth are given a free kick.
Hunt was desperate to take that penalty. He grabbed the ball immediately and placed it down before being persuaded to let Shorey take it.
70 mins GOAL. That's surely game over as Benjani's pace takes him clear of the defence to run onto Muntari's pass, and the striker glides past Hahnemann to tap into an empty net for his hat trick. 4-2.
73 mins More Portsmouth pressure as it's worked to the edge of the box where Davis squares to Kranjcar who takes one touch and then smashes a powerful drive that is blocked by Shorey. That could have been heading in.
74 mins Two consecutive Portsmouth corners as the pressure continues. Reading just hanging on at the moment.
75 mins GOAL. And there is the fifth as Davis advances down the right and takes advantage of a poor Gunnarsson clearance to clip a cross to the far post where Kranjcar rises to head home from close range. 5-2.
Steve Coppell reacts by bringing on Emerse Fae for Gunnarsson in midfield, and Shane Long for Murty. Long goes to the right wing with Rosenior dropping back to right back.
78 mins GOAL! Reading pull one back as Fae's cross is headed out to Harper, and his first time left foot volley flashes past James, possibly taking a deflection. Pompey appeal for offside but it's given, 5-3. What a crazy game.
Portsmouth replace hat trick man Benjani with David Nugent.
81 mins GOAL. Yet another goal as Sean Davis takes a potshot from 30 yards and it deflects off a defender, takes wicked spin to give Hahnemann no chance and fly in. 6-3 now, unbelievable.
83 mins Nearly another one as Utaka flicks it on for Nugent, whose first time volley is parried by Hahnemann.
Change of identity for Reading's third scorer, it's being given to Long. It must have deflected off him, prompting Pompey's offside appeal. So it's Long''s goal. But that may change again!
They're also now saying Ingimarsson own goal for Portsmouth's sixth after that deflection.
85 mins Davis tries another long range effort that deflects off Hunt for a corner. From the corner, Hreidarsson's diving header skims just wide.
90 mins PENALTY. The outstanding Kranjcar jinks into the area and goes down under Rosenior's challenge. Muntari fires high into the roof of the net, 7-3 and ten goals for the match.
Three minutes to be added.
92 mins Duberry booked for scything down Utaka. Frustration there.
93 mins. GOAL Absolutely unbelievable, it's now 7-4. Shorey races onto a Long cross and smashes it goalwards. It deflects off Campbell and flies in. We'll give it to Shorey for now, but like many goals in this game it could well be reviewed.
So what a breathless afternoon, but it ends in defeat for the Royals.
Ultimately Reading were well beaten and there's no denying that Portsmouth deserved the points thoroughly. But Reading had their chances - principally when Harper shot over at 2-2 and then Shorey's penalty miss at 3-2. So it could have been very different.
