COVENTRY City earned themselves a third round replay back at the Ricoh Arena after holding Premier League opponents to a 1-1 draw at Fratton Park.

David Bell opened his scoring account for the season in fine stuyle with a superb strike from the corner of the Pompey area a minute before the half hour.

But Kevin-Prince Boateng was in the right place in first half injury time to put the hosts on level terms, nodding a close range header just inside City's far post.

In a game that was relatively devoid of clear cut chances prior to the opener, both sides started in a speedy fashion but cancelled each other out in midfield.

Portsmouth striker Tommy Smith tested City 'keeper Keiren Westwood in the first minute with a speculative strike which drew an acrobatic save out of the Coventry shotstopper.

Strike partner Frederic Piquionne drew a less dramatic and less imminent save out of Westwood five minutes later with a 20 yard effort which never threatened the goalmouth.

Piquionne went closer on 28 minutes when his shot from an acute angle flashed across the goalmouth and past the far post.

But it was the Sky Blues who drew first blood a minute later when Aron Gunnarsson's terrier-like approach in the final third allowed him to tap a loose ball into the path of Bell who took a touch on the corner of the Pompey area before sending a sweet strike past Asmir Begovic and inside his far post.

Piquionne went close again a minute after Pompey went behind, Steve Finnan floating a cross over the head of Westwood but the resulting header going well over the bar.

The Frenchman had his best opportunity to get on the scoresheet four minutes before the break when he picked up a loose ball 15 yards out only to see his shot stopped by a quick reaction save from Westwood.

Portsmouth were level just before the break though when a high looped cross found Kevin-Prince Boateng to nod a simple header inside Westwood's far post.

That was the end of the game for Westwood who was substituted at half time for back-up 'keeper Dimi Konstantopoulos whose first action of the second half was to parry and collect a fierce long range half volley from Hermann Hreidarsson.

City defender James McPake enjoyed a rare jaunt forward on 54 minutes, playing through Clinton Morrison who skewed a shot over the bar.

Clingan kept Begovic on his toes 15 minutes later with a long range drive which forced the Serbian 'keeper to ground to make the stop.

But Portsmouth went a whisker away from getting a second with nine minutes to go when Boateng finished off a swift counter attack to flash a ball across the goalmouth only for Hayden Mullins to arrive a shade too late.

It was the hosts who also finished the strongest with a late flurry of chances from substitute John Utaka and Michael Brown.

First Utaka forced a good stop out of Konstantopoulos in injury time after his shot from a tight angle and the City 'keeper fashioned an equally good save from Brown's hooked effort from the edge of the area a minute later, pushing the shot around his far post.

The late flourish from Pompey was not enough satisfy the home fans who voiced their displeasure at the result on the final whistle which sets up a replay at the Ricoh Arena.

Attendance: 11,214

Teams

Coventry City: Westwood (Konstantopoulos (45), Wright (c), Clingan, McPake, Bell, Eastwood, Morrison (Best 73), Cranie, Gunnarsson, McIndoe, Wood
Subs: Hall, Ward, Hussey, Grandison, Jeffers

Portsmouth: Begovic, Kaboul, Hreidarsson, Bouba Diop (Utaka 70), Piquionne (Webber 79), Brown (c), Finnan, Smith, Hughes (Mullins 56), Boateng, Wilson
Subs: Ashdown (GK), Williamson, Vanden Borre, Basinas