Pompey Party in Wigan

Harry Redknapp has again proved himself the master of the great escape as a stunning come-from-behind 2-1 win at Wigan guaranteed Portsmouth another season of Barclays Premiership football.

Pompey were on the ropes during the first half at the JJB Stadium and should have been at least three goals adrift at the break.

But instead Wigan only had Henri Camara's 12th goal of the season to show for their onslaught and they were made to pay by Redknapp's braves.

The fightback was started by the unlikely figure of Portsmouth's #4.1million club-record signing Benjani Mwaruwari, before Matthew Taylor drove home a multi-million pound penalty.

From the depths of despair just a few weeks ago, Portsmouth have now taken 20 points from their last nine matches to save themselves from the Coca-Cola Championship.

Instead, it will be Birmingham and West Brom joining Sunderland in English football's second tier as City could only muster a point from a goalless draw at home to Newcastle.

As for Redknapp, he is almost certain to be given the freedom of Portsmouth following this latest heroic effort, akin to the end of 2003-04 season when Portsmouth took 21 points from 10 games to save their skins.

However, Wigan started with every intent of making life hard for the visitors as a drive from Camara was smothered by Dean Kiely and David Thompson headed over the bar in the opening four minutes,

Pompey should have taken the lead themselves in the fifth minute as Andres D'Alessandro whipped in a cross into the heart of the six-yard box, where an unmarked Svetoslav Todorov headed over from three yards.

After Mwaruwari struck a shot from 10 yards that goalkeeper Mike Pollitt saved with his knees, Camara then took centre stage.

After receiving a slide-rule ball in from Graham Kavanagh in the 11th minute, Camara's first touch was poor as he raced into the area, but with his eventual shot too close to Kiely as he blocked at point-blank range.

It proved a warning shot across the bows as Wigan should then have been ahead in the 15th minute but for a shocking decision by assistant referees Jim Devine.

As Thompson played a raking ball to Camara, at least two Portsmouth players played the Senegal international onside before he slipped a shot underneath the advancing Kiely, but Devine thought otherwise.

Camara had another chance in the 19th minute, holding off Taylor on the edge of the area before firing in a drive that Kiely fisted clear.

After another effort from Camara was beaten away by Kiely, Devine departed through injury on the half hour to be replaced by fourth official Mike Jones.

Three minutes later Wigan finally grabbed the lead, with Thompson's inswinging cross headed goalwards by Matt Jackson, and although Kiely made a fine save, Camara was on hand to tap home.

The striker should have made it 13 for the season just five minutes later as he was left unmarked seven yards out in meeting a Gary Teale cross, only to glance his header wide.

After Gary O'Neil had curled a cross from just outside the area onto the top of Pollitt's crossbar, Wigan again spurned another opportunity to pile on the agony for the visitors, with Jackson heading inches wide a piercing ball from Thompson.

Then Redknapp engineered an interval swap-shop, making just one change in bringing on Noe Pamarot for Sean Davis, but revamping his defence and midfield.

It worked wonders, even if there were more agonies to follow as Todorov missed a sitter before Mwaruwari finally grabbed his first goal for the club on his 15th start following his January transfer-window move.

Taylor's angled shot through the six-yard box bounced off the left-hand post, falling kindly to Mwaruwari to nod home from three yards.

It was then all Portsmouth as Pedro Mendes saw a half-volley superbly beaten away by Pollitt, before D'Alessandro curled an angled shot onto the top of the net.

Their reward came in the 70th minute when Teale was sent off for a clear handball in blocking Mwaruwari's goal-bound header to a far-post cross from Todorov.

That allowed Taylor to beat Pollitt from the penalty spot - his second spot-kick in successive weeks following his winner against Sunderland last Saturday - to send the Pompey fans delirious.

O'Neil and Mwaruwari should have ensured there was no nervy ending, but come the final whistle it mattered little and when Birmingham's result against Newcastle came through, the `Blue Army' of Portsmouth could celebrate.

At least 2,000 made their way onto the pitch to acclaim Redknapp and chairman Milan Mandaric, ruining Wigan's end-of-season lap of honour and player-of-the-year awards ceremony.