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Portsmouth have been toiling away, achieving a lofty sixth position in the Premier League table, but until they win some silverware, nobody takes them seriously. Perceptions of mediocrity could change in the coming weeks, now that they advanced into the FA Cup final for the first time in 69 years. A solitary goal by Nwankwo Kanu was enough to eliminate West Bromwich Albion at Wembley on Saturday.

The slender 1-0 victory averted the possibility of this year’s final being an all-Championship showpiece. Absence of the Big Four in the FA Cup may have taken away the shine and some international audience but there is no worry about declining gate receipts - 83000 fans (a record for a FA Cup Semi-Final) were there to create a vibrant atmosphere.

Portsmouth heroics also salvaged some Premier League pride. The FA Cup has never been contested by two teams from outside the top flight since professional football started in England in 1888-89. That record was in danger of falling but Portsmouth, as the sole representative of the Premier League, put paid to the notion.

Understandably, the stakes are high as both teams rarely ventured so far in the FA Cup. The tension was palpable and neither team was cool enough to take their chances and posed any real threat in attack. It was only in the second half that the match came to life.

In the first half, five time FA Cup winner West Brom looked more lively. The partnership of Morrison and Gera along the flanks and Kevin Phillips in a deep central position caused turmoil in Portsmouth defense. A quick, interpassing strategy gave West Brom better shape moving forward while Portsmouth were content only to absorb pressure.

Kevin Phillips’s first attempt at goal from the edge of the box drifted past keeper David James but the latter had to be alert when Zoltan Gera fired from a central position. James had only time to parry but Sol Campbell dispatched the ball to safety.

David James nearly fumbled again when he presented Phillips with a chance when preventing the ball from going out for a corner. Phillips was a shade too slow and James managed to extinguish the danger in the nick of time. If the goal has been scored first, West Brom will get the chance to add to their last FA Cup in 1968.

Portsmouth, going strong in the top half of the Premier League, didn’t have a shot at goal until Sulley Muntari’s 35-meter free kick in the 29th minute and the midfielder fired a dipping shot just too high just before halftime. They began to impose themselves early in the second half, and dominated the midfield to stop West Brom’s attacks.

Within ten minutes of the restart, they’d taken the lead. Glen Johnson delivered a long ball towards Baros and his chested control was excellent before firing across keeper Dean Kiely. The keeper could only push the ball along the goal line and in the scramble, former Baggies hero, Kanu, was on hand to roll the ball into the unguarded net in front of the ecstatic Pompey faithful.

Portsmouth could have killed the game ten minutes later. A threaded ball from Niko Kranjcar split the Baggies defence. But Baros took one touch too many and Kiely smothered. It wasn’t a surprise when Baros was replaced by David Nugent shortly after.

West Brom also made a couple of changes, bringing Ishmael Miller and Chris Brunt into the action as they sought an equaliser. Gera did well to carve an opening from from 20-yards, only for it to go over the bar, and Koren had a fine shot from a similar distance which struck the bar.

Miller also came close, connecting well with a low cross, but the man whose hat-trick in the last round helped West Brom reached the semi-final was unlucky to see his effort, the Baggies’ last of the afternoon, skid wide of the post.

Harry Redknapp said: “It’s great for Portsmouth to be getting to a cup final. Where we were two years ago and five years ago it’s amazing,” refering to the club’s annual struggles to avoid relegation. “Now we’re sixth in the league and in a cup final.

“We are rightly favorites but we all know that on the day anything can happen. We will be favorites and, if we play as we can play, we have got a fantastic chance of winning it.”

West Brom manager Tony Mowbray now has the task of recharging his team for the challenge of gaining promotion. Going into this game, the Baggies were fourth in the League Championship and only the top two are guaranteed promotion.

“The message coming out of the dressing room is, let’s go and earn the right to go and play teams like Portsmouth week in and week out,” Mowbray said.

West Brom striker Kevin Phillips said Baros used his arm to control the ball and the referee should have ruled the goal out. He said: “You know what these officials are like, they tend to bottle it a little bit in these big games. Portsmouth have been very lucky today. If (only) we found that goal when we dominated in the first half. I don’t think we deserved to lose.”

I feel it is sour grapes to pin the blame on the referee. West Brom displayed some classy touches but they let themselves down with a lack of killer instinct. The consolation is they can now focus all their attention on promotion hopes and on the back of this performance, they deserve it.

Portsmouth are thriving under the stewardship of Harry Redknapp and his bunch of ex Arsenal players Lauren, Diarra, Campbell and Kanu. I don’t know what Wenger is thinking when he sees all his former charges doing well at other clubs. David Bentley at Blackburn is another case in point. Will Wenger feel the pinch or he believes he has done the right thing?

His policy on youngsters is right for the long-term benefit of the club but when push comes to shove, the youth can be unpredictable and inconsistent. A good mix of seniors, with their experience, is needed to helm the squad to provide stability and consistency.

Cardiff City will meet up with Portsmouth in the FA Cup final after a stunning goal from midfielder Joe Ledley gave them a 1-0 win over Barnsley in the other semi-final, ending the latter’s giant-killing run. In such a match-up, the smart money is on Portsmouth to stand up on the podium, unless Cardiff City can prove us wrong.

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