Merson helped Pompey to another big win

The Lilywhites were happy to hit Pompey on the break early on and the visitors gave the home fans a taste of what was to come as early as the 10th minute.

Graham Alexander's goalbound shot was parried by keeper Shaka Hislop, but Richard Cresswell was first to react and his header gave Preston the lead.

Portsmouth were stung into action but playmaker Paul Merson was struggling to find his rhythm, while the visitors looked solid at the back.

Pompey were beginning to get bogged down before new loan signing Steve Stone popped up on the end of a Matthew Taylor cross to steer the ball home from 18 yards.

Twist

Moments later the game was turned on its head.

Portsmouth swept forward again and when Vincent Pericard went down under Rob Edwards' challenge in the box, referee Paul Armstrong pointed to the spot.

Merson stepped up and passed the ball beyond keeper David Lucas to make it 2-1 to Pompey.

Ten minutes later the impressive Taylor raced clear down the left and he clipped the ball over the advancing Lucas from the left edge of the area into the bottom corner.

But after the restart the game took another twist.

Alexander threw Preston a lifeline from the penalty spot following Paul Ritchie's foul on Mark Rankine.

Preston sensed draw number nine for the season and boss Craig Brown sent on striker Pawel Abbott.

Preston continued to press without creating any clear-cut chances and the south-coast side held out for their seventh home win of the season.

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

Preston: Lucas, Broomes, Murdock, Lucketti, Alexander, Rankine, McKenna, Skora, Edwards, Lewis, Cresswell. Subs: Moilanen, Etuhu, Jackson, Healy, Abbott.

Referee: P Armstrong (Berkshire)