PARROTS AND PEACOCKS..

So that was that. Southampton 1 - Portsmouth 4. The scoreline suggests an easy victory for today`s visitors to Southampton`s nice, family-friendly, modern St Mary`s Stadium. But it was anything but. For 70 minutes, Saints more than held their own and really should have been 3-0 up at half-time.

But the difference between the Premiership and Division Three was obvious in the last period of the game, when Pompey`s pace and finishing power contrasted with Saints` lack of pace at the back and missed chances in front of goal. But whilst I may feel as sick as a parrot about the result, I also feel as proud as a peacock about the performance, the sell-out crowd of 31,853 creating a memorable atmosphere and the way in which my football club conducted itself in the face of deep-seated intimidatory rivalry.

So, no complaints about the result, although I`ve reminded myself of the old saying, "Show me a good loser and I`ll show you a loser." But at the end of the day, I guess it just wasn`t meant to be, so we will now concentrate on the league and our visit to Wemberley for the Trophy Final on 28th March.

Portsmuff are still in a perilous position financially, as news comes this afternoon of the reluctance of the Premier League to advance them any end-of-season cash until, err...the end of the season. Next Wednesday they have to present their accounts to the High Court, where the Winding-Up Petition turning into a Winding-Up Order is still hanging in the balance. After today, I hope they survive, otherwise they will take the south coast bragging rights into liquidation with them. And we really can`t have that, can we?