McFadden's late penalty downs Portsmouth

Aug 19, 2009 - 11:00 PM By ALEX CROOK STATS European Football Writer=

LONDON (SE) - James McFadden's last minute penalty heaped more misery on crisis club Portsmouth as Birmingham marked the return of Premier League football to St Andrews with a hard fought 1-0 win on Wednesday.

McFadden fired home 60 seconds into injury time after James had come rushing out of his goal and clattered into Sebastian Larsson.

England number one James earlier looked to have earned Portsmouth a share of the points with a flying one-handed save to deny former Southampton striker Kevin Phillips.

James was angry with Larsson over his role in the penalty award, saying: "I have seen the video. I am completely concentrated on the ball and no way was it a foul.

"He stood in front of me and stopped, making no effort to play the ball. That fooled the linesman into giving the penalty."

Portsmouth gave a debut to on-loan Genoa midfielder Anthony Vanden Borre after finally receiving the relevant papers from the Italian FA.

Vanden Borre threatened to become an instant hero, marauding into the Birmingham penalty area with a jinking run only to lift a weak shot high over the crossbar.

Larsson should have put Birmingham in front 18 minutes in after Gregory Vignal came bursting down the left wing to cross but the Swede headed over from no more than seven yards.

James, sporting a fetching all pink goalkeeper kit in aid of a cancer charity, almost gifted the Premier League newcomers the lead on the half hour mark.

James hacked a clearance straight to the feet of Garry O'Connor after being put under pressure by Sylvain Distin's poor back-pass, but O'Connor let the pair off the hook by rolling his shot harmlessly wide.

It took until a minute before half time for Portsmouth to produce a meaningful effort on goal as Birmingham 'keeper Joe Hart was forced into a scrambling save to tip Frederic Piquionne's awkward low shot behind for a corner.

Birmingham came out with more purpose after the half time break and Cameron Jerome signalled the hosts' intent with a powerful driving run before shooting over from the edge of the 18-yard box.

Pompey midfielder Hayden Mullins then produced an early contender for miss of the season in the 57th minute.

Niko Kranjcar's mishit shot fell kindly into Mullins' path six yards out but the former West Ham star lashed a poor effort well wide with the goal at his mercy.

The best sequence of play of a dour match came 14 minutes from time when veteran James pulled of a miraculous save to deny Phillips.

McFadden's free kick was headed on by O'Connor and James flung himself low to his right to keep out Phillips' powerful right shot at full stretch.

That looked to be enough to earn cash-strapped Pompey a morale-boosting point before the late drama.

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish said: "I thought we played well. We passed the ball well and deserved the win.

"Joe Hart had little to do and we created the bulk of the chances."