By Sam Lyon

Andy Cole is mobbed by Pompey players after his equaliser

Lomana LuaLua was the star of the first half, forcing three fine saves and setting up Sean Davis to hit the post.

It was Fulham that took the lead though when defender Zat Knight headed home via a deflection off Dejan Stefanovic.

But, after Noe Pamarot had hit the bar, Cole drew Pompey level after a dubious challenge on Antti Niemi by Kanu.

Interview: Portsmouth assistant coach Joe Jordan

Interview: Fulham boss Chris Coleman

Interview: Portsmouth's Andrew Cole

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The Nigerian was lucky not to have been penalised for kicking the ball out of the Finnish keeper's hands and he then appeared to hold Niemi back as Cole flicked home.

It was no more than Portsmouth deserved though and it was a fitting way to mark the 15th anniversary of Cole's last appearance for the Cottagers.

One might have guessed that Pompey would enjoy a bit of luck after they had marked Armistice Day with the presentation before the game of three survivors from the D-Day Normandy landings.

And the playing of 'The Boys Are Back in Town' to accompany their appearance was all the more apt considering Harry Redknapp's selection.

Pompey's best-ever start to a Premiership campaign had stuttered of late but the return of defensive duo Sol Campbell and Linvoy Primus once again looked to have provided the foundation for a solid performance.

Redknapp's decision to start LuaLua alongside Kanu for only the second time this season also appeared inspired.

Zat Knight, right, celebrates his opener at Fratton Park

It was the DR Congo frontman who created the game's first chance when he set up Kanu to slice wide with the goal gaping, before Davis, another Fulham old boy, headed onto the post from another of his crosses.

It was a virtuoso opening from LuaLua and on 20 minutes he forced Fulham keeper Antti Niemi into a full-length stop with a dipping 25-yard free-kick.

The visitors were hanging on, with Brian McBride isolated up front, though Carlos Bocanegra's header from a corner, well saved by David James, sparked a period of greater composure.

But LuaLua was not long out of the game and first Niemi palmed his effort away from a tight angle and then he volleyed wide from Primus' sharp cross just before the break.

And when Niemi somehow clawed away Kanu's header from a corner in first-half injury time, the hosts could have been forgiven for thinking it was not going to be their day.

So it proved 10 minutes into the second half when Knight headed home Jensen's corner, though the dubious goals panel may want a look after it deflected off Stefanovic.

As expected, the hosts responded with determined effort, Primus denied from close range by Liam Rosenior's goal-line clearance before Pamarot crashed a header onto the bar from Gary O'Neil's pin-point cross.

Then came Cole's decisive intervention - and still Portsmouth could have won it.

Substitute Benjani Mwaruwari forced another fine save with seconds remaining, before LuaLua almost capped a fine performance with the winner with the last kick of the game - only for Niemi to save well once again.

A late injury to O'Neil put a dampener on an otherwise entertaining clash, with early suspicions being that he suffered a recurrence of his hamstring injury.