Portsmouth 2 Everton 1: Crouch at the double to ease drop fears
Peter the great: Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch scores the equaliser
Peter Crouch scored twice as Portsmouth came from behind to beat Everton 2-1 at Fratton Park and move clear of the Barclays Premier League relegation zone. Leighton Baines had fired the visitors into a fourth-minute lead with a well-taken free-kick.
However, Crouch powered in a header to draw Pompey level in the 23rd minute, and struck again from close range late in the second half to secure a vital victory for the relegation battlers.
Everton had to make do without leading scorer Tim Cahill because of a calf injury against relegation battlers Portsmouth at Fratton Park.
Louis Saha started in attack, while Lars Jacobsen came in for defender Joseph Yobo, who was out with a hamstring problem.
Pompey, above the relegation zone only on goal difference, were missing winger Jermaine Pennant (calf). Younes Kaboul came into the side as the hosts looked to put daylight between themselves and the bottom three.
Everton, unbeaten in five league games, were aiming to keep the pressure on Aston Villa and also close in on fourth-placed Arsenal, who now occupy the coveted final Champions League spot.
And the visitors took the lead after just four minutes. Sylvain Distin bundled over Saha, conceding a free-kick just outside the penalty area. Leighton Baines stepped forwards and curled the ball left-footed over the wall and in off David James' far post, leaving the Fratton Park faithful stunned
Pompey grabbed an equaliser on 23 minutes. A corner was only half cleared, with Kranjcar lofting the ball back into the danger area.
Glen Johnson headed it across the six-yard box, where Peter Crouch arrived to power in his second goal in as many games.
Fratton Park suddenly found its voice, as the hosts pressed forward in search of another goal.
Rise and shine: Peter Crouch (centre) rises highest to score the winning goal
The home fans screamed for a penalty when Kaboul went down under a strong challenge from Joleon Lescott, but the tackle by the England international was fair.
On 66 minutes, full-back Hermann Hreidarsson was cautioned for going through the back of Pienaar. Kranjcar just failed to get on the end of a through ball down the centre as Pompey continued to press.
Kaboul's cross from the right almost crept in at the near post, before, with 16 minutes left, Kanu replaced Nugent. From the resulting corner, which Sean Davis floated right across goal, Crouch leapt to power Pompey in front with another close-range header.
Davies struck the base of the post, with Howard beaten, from 20 yards as Pompey looked to wrap up the points.
