Coventry defender Calum Davenport's equaliser ended Portsmouth's 100% league record at Fratton Park, but the draw maintained the hosts' lead in the Division One table.

Davenport stabbed the ball home in a goalmouth scramble on the hour mark, nine minutes after on-loan Juventus marksman Vincent Pericard had scored his sixth goal of the season to put Pompey ahead.

The result was fair to both sides because although Portsmouth had showed the greater threat in attack, Gary McAllister's team were well-organised and contained their opponents for most of the game.

Coventry started brightly and player-manager McAllister's class was evident just 90 seconds into the game when his 25-yard free-kick was well saved by Shaka Hislop.

But Portsmouth responded and their forward partnership of Svetoslav Todorov and Pericard both fired early shots wide.

Paul Merson made an impression for the wrong reason in the 23rd minute when booked for a foul on Youssef Safri.

The former England man caught the Moroccan late - and McAllister was incensed.

Two minutes before the interval Matthew Taylor could have put Portsmouth ahead when he connected with a Merson free-kick but his shot was blocked, Todorov hammering the rebound over the crossbar.

Late chances

It took only six minutes of the second half for the deadlock to be broken by Pericard, who chipped the ball home when clean through on goal.

But Coventry were undeterred and Lee Mills hit the woodwork again, this time the post, before Davenport's equaliser.

Harry Redknapp's side were looking the more likely to win the game and defender Arjan de Zeeuw headed a Lassina Diabate cross wide.

Just about every Portsmouth player was getting forward trying to be the man to secure three points and Paul Ritchie, on loan from Manchester City, drilled a left-foot shot past the post.

Mark Burchill, on as substitute for Todorov, had a late effort to keep up Portsmouth's perfect home record but was denied by goalkeeper Fabien Debec, which meant the points were deservedly shared.

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Portsmouth: Hislop, De Zeeuw, Taylor, Primus, Festa, Diabate, O'Neil, Quashie, Todorov, Merson, Pericard. Subs: Kawaguchi, Harper, Burchill, Robinson, Ritchie.

Coventry: Debec, Konjic, Caldwell, Davenport, Chippo, Pipe, Quinn, Safri, Partridge, McAllister, Mills. Subs: Hyldgaard, Gordon, Eustace, McSheffrey, Bothroyd.

Referee: D Crick (Surrey).