Injured Pearce salvages point for Fulham

Ian Pearce, part of Blackburn's 1995 Premiership winning side, seen here in March 2006, made light of a foot injury to score in stoppage time to earn Fulham a 1-1 draw against Portsmouth at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

Ian Pearce, part of Blackburn's 1995 Premiership winning side, made light of a foot injury to score in stoppage time to earn Fulham a 1-1 draw against Portsmouth at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

The veteran centre half spoiled Portsmouth keeper David James' bid to break David Seaman's record with his 142nd cleansheet, his injury time leveller cancelling out Niko Kranjcar's fourth minute goal for Pompey.

Portsmouth were without injured Glen Johnson but Cameroon defender Lauren was back while their London hosts were able to call again on Sean Davis who returned from suspension to face his former club.

Portsmouth looked to have done enough to give their hopes of playing in Europe next season a major boost after Kranjcar came up with his first goal for the south coast side.

And it was one for the scrapbook as the Croatian dazzled Antti Niemi with a curling shot into the top right corner from outside the area off an angled flick-on from Kanu.

Up at the other end James was doing his best to grab the record for the number of cleansheets in the Premiership when he denied Franck Queudrue's low shot at the near post.

Earlier he had to be at full stretch to tip Tomasz Radzinski's volley over the crossbar.

The two keepers were earning their keep with Niemi producing a superb save to deny Svetoslav Todorov.

But with the clock ticking and as Portsmouth thought they'd done enough to hold on for the win Pearce popped up to deflect Alexei Smertin's cross from the right to salvage a point for the Londoners.