James turns the back the clock to save Pompey

DAVID JAMES has seen almost everything during his long and colourful career, but the England goalkeeper still considers himself a novice when it comes to relegation battles.

James has only tasted demotion once, with West Ham in 2003, and if his performance here was anything to go by, he has no wish to repeat the experience with Portsmouth.

His goalkeeping masterclass underpinned a promising performance by Pompey, even if his hopes of swiping all three points were ultimately undone by Middlesbrough’s on-loan striker Marlon King in injury time.