Three goals in twelve minutes ended Saints' FA Cup run at the fifth round stage at the hands of Portsmouth.

In four previous clashes in the competition between the two south coast sides, Saints had come out on top in all of them. The hosts deserved to make it five based on performance alone, as Alan Pardew's side more than matched their Premier League opponents for the ninety minutes.

The Blues took the lead against the run of play on 66 minutes as the game got its overdue opening goal. It came through substitute Quincy Owusu-Abeyie's well measured curling shot, but Saints quickly levelled when Rickie Lambert hit his 25th goal of the season with a firm header inside the six yard box.

Portsmouth went back in front on 72 with a well taken strike from Aruna Dindane, but Saints almost repeated their earlier trick with an equaliser soon afterwards, however, Lee Barnard was denied his first goal for the Club by an offside call.

Saints found visiting 'keeper David James in good form throughout, and two further goals on 82 and 86 sealed the visitors' progress to the Quarter Finals with Nadir Belhadj and Jamie O'Hara finding a way past Kelvin Davis.

Saints: Davis, Thomas, Jaidi, Perry (Holmes 83), Harding, Antonio, Hammond, Schneiderlin, Lallana, Papa Waigo (Barnard 72), Lambert. Subs (not used): Bialkowski, Mills, Wotton, James, Gillett.

Portsmouth: James, Mullins, Belhadj, Wilson, Hreidarsson (Hughes 90), Basinas (Owusu-Abeyie 57), O'Hara, Yebda, Bouba Diop, Dindane, Utaka (Piquionne 72). Subs (not used): Ashdown, Tosic, Webber, Kanu.

Referee: Mr. H. Webb (South Yorks)

Attendance: 31, 385 (including 4,061 away)

Saints kicked off defending the Northam End with a sea of red and white set as a backdrop in the stands as fans held coloured cards to show their support for Alan Pardew's side. The hosts matched the early intensity in the crowd, attacking the Portsmouth area at every opportunity.

Morgan Schneiderlin got the first sight of goal on seven minutes as he lined up a shot from the edge of the area which narrowly flew over the top of David James' crossbar.

Pardew's men went even closer two minutes later as Rickie Lambert picked out Papa Waigo at the far post and the Sengalese striker's header was scrambled away by the England shot stopper on the goal line.

Referee Howard Webb tried to keep a lid on the early tempo to the game which showed no signs of slowing down as the match started to open up. Jamie O'Hara flashed a free-kick from 25 yards wide of Kelvin Davis' left hand post before Papa Waigo almost got in behind the Portsmouth defence once more, only to be denied by Hermann Hreidarsson.

Two sweeping counter attacks from the hosts kept the pressure on Avram Grant's Blues with Dan Harding getting in on the act, as he bombed forward on the left and crashed a low cross into the side netting.

In the 22nd minute the visitors showed a glimmer of their Premiership ability as O'Hara's vicious thumped effort from distance saw Davis pull off a save of equal quality as he pushed the ball over the top and out of play.

Portsmouth gradually came into the game, but Saints nearly struck first blood on 33 minutes. Lambert's whipped corner from the left slipped out of James' hands and fell on to the head of Radhi Jaidi, who had no time to control a header but saw the ball only just go wide of the right post from close range.

Saints continued in the ascendancy, showing plenty of derby spirit inside the last five minutes of the half. Adam Lallana couldn't quite reach Lambert's cross but Wayne Thomas nearly went one better on the stroke of half time as he powered a header at the back post which somehow stayed out of the net.

Half Time: Saints 0-0 Portsmouth

Inside the first minute of the new half Michail Antonio immediately set about his task by successfully negotiating a way down the right flank before picking out Lallana at the far post who charged a header at goal which James somehow kept out from point blank range.

At the other end, Aruna Dindane got the better of Chris Perry and Antonio before flashing a low shot inches wide of Davis' left.

Antonio and Papa Waigo continued to be a menace to the Blues' backline, with the former finding Hammond at the back stick which the captain couldn't quite hook back towards goal.

Dindane was the first player to go into Howard Webb's notebook after 53 minutes as he handled the ball in an advanced position to get the better of Jaidi.

In the next attack John Utaka beat the offside trap and just got t he better of Harding, but his low shot was kept out by the feet of Davis.

In the 57th minute the visitors freshened up their attacking options as Angelos Basinas was replaced by former Arsenal trainee Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, but Saints continued to do all the pressing. Another long throw from Antonio led to Lallana's acrobatic effort on goal which didn't quite have enough power on it to test James.

Hammond was the first Saints player to receive a booking after he fould Owusu-Abeyie on the touchline. The resulting free-kick was kept out by a strong challenge from Thomas.

On 66 minutes the visitors took the lead against the run of play. A throw in found its way to Utaka on the edge of the box and the striker smartly turned the ball across to substitute Owusu-Abeyie who curled a shot past Davis into the bottom right corner.

The lead didn't last long. Three minutes to be precise. Harding's free-kick from the left was met by the head of Lambert, who crashed home an equaliser from six yards as James was finally beaten.

Buoyed by the leveller, the hosts went back on the attack, before both sides gave their front line some fresh legs. Frederic Piquionne replaced Utaka and Alan Pardew introduced Lee Barnard for Papa Waigo with just under 20 minutes left on the clock.

On 74 the Blues regained their advantage with Aruna Dindane taking Owusu-Abeyie's ball in his stride before just getting enough power on a low shot to beat Davis, who got his feet on the strike, but it wasn't enough to keep the ball out of the net.

Five minutes later Saints thought they'd pegged the Blues back again as Lee Barnard stabbed home from Lallana's knock down inside the six yard box but the linesman flagged it for offside, before Antonio saw a looping header land on the top of the net.

It was 3-1 in the 82nd minute. O'Hara's sublime pass set Nadir Belhadj away and the wide man sold Davis a dummy and sneaked a low shot in at the near post to give the visitors a seemingly unassailable lead.

Pardew switched Chris Perry for Lee Holmes, but the visitors found another gear which resulted in a fourth goal in the 86th minute.

Owusu-Abeyie collected Belhadj's cross and knocked the ball back across to O'Hara who pulled the trigger from the edge of the box which ended up in the net despite Davis getting a firm touch on the ball.

Three minutes of stoppage time were added on during which time Richard Hughes replaced Hreidarsson. At the whistle Portsmouth had won the battle on the day, but Saints were far from out played by the top flight side.

Full Time: Saints 1-4 Portsmouth