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England rivals Jermain Defoe and Michael Owen missed chances as Portsmouth and Newcastle fought out a goalless draw at Fratton Park.

Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp, who was offered the St James Park job last January before Kevin Keegan's comeback, saw Defoe hang his head after passing up a hat-trick of golden opportunities.

And Owen, whose recovery from long-term injury has helped inspire Keegan's side to an unbeaten five-match run, hooked over the bar with only David James to beat in the 72nd minute.

In Owen's defence he must have been surprised when Pompey defender Sylvain Distin shanked a corner by Geremi straight onto his toe.

Distin had only just saved FA Cup finalists Pompey with a perfect tackle on Newcastle winger Geremi after the busy Cameroon star had clearly shouted for well-placed Owen to leave Joey Barton's cross.

But Defoe's misses were the biggest talking points. He had scored eight goals in seven games before missing the last two matches and looked a certainty to break the deadlock after 52 minutes. Instead he cushioned a volley past a post when left completely unmarked to meet Sulley Muntari's cross eight yards out.

PERHAPS it was because the sun was shining, perhaps it was because neither Newcastle nor Portsmouth got out of first gear. Either way, this certainly felt like an end of season game. No goals, no urgency and precious little incident - this was two teams with their minds on other things. Newcastle, with their Premier League status all but guaranteed on the back of three successive wins, were thinking of the forthcoming summer break. Portsmouth, still basking in the glory of last weekend's Wembley win over West Brom, were looking forward to the FA Cup final. The upshot was a match of limited excitement. Newcastle's new-look three-man attack rarely threatened the Portsmouth goalmouth, although Michael Owen was unfortunate to see his second-half strike hit David James in the face and deflect to safety over the crossbar. James knew little or nothing about the save, but it still saved his blushes following an error-strewn display in which he completely missed the ball in the first half and threw a clearance straight at Geremi in the second. Steve Harper did rather better at the other end, producing the save of the game to turn Jermain Defoe's goalbound effort around the post. Defoe's shot was Pompey's best effort - partly because the rest of their attacking play faltered in the central third, and partly because referee Phil Dowd refused to award a penalty when Kanu's first-half shot deflected off Steven Taylor's foot and hit the centre-half on the arm. Dowd's decision not to point to the spot was the right one, but the referee's overall display was every bit as poor as the rest of the game. If this is the way things are going to be in the remaining four games of Newcastle's season, roll on mid-May.

Five minutes later when the excellent Glen Johnson came roaring forward and played a one-two with Kanu before firing at goal it was the unwitting Defoe who deflected the shot off target.

And eight minutes after that, when Johnson and Muntari again combined to set him up, the former Tottenham ace was denied by Steve Harper's desperate save.

Apart from a late no penalty controversy involving Newcastles Steven Taylor the first half was largely a non-event despite some determined running and commitment from both sides.

Obafemi Martins and Geremi, just two of the large cast of Africans on show, tried to test the vision of Pompey's England keeper David James who caught their speculative shots cleanly despite facing a strong early-evening sun.

It took 15 minutes for Pompey to find an on-target shot and then Niko Kranjcar's effort was straight at Harper.

Newcastle looked dangerous when Joey Barton led a break from his own half in the 28th minute and glided a pass into Vidukas path on the right but the Australian hit his first time attempt just a little too hard for Martins who had made a superb supporting run through the inside left channel.

Pompey lacked width when Papa Bouba Diop and Muntari tried to thread a move together but Johnson finally provided it with an overlapping run. His 33rd minute cross bounced off Defoe's legs and could have gone anywhere in a crowded six-yard box. Luckily for Newcastle it finished behind the goal.

There were precious few incidents to really excite the noisy fans of both sides, although Martins, always full of running, nearly made an impact in the 38th minute, running at the Pompey defence and then firing powerfully from 20 yards but too high to worry James.

Johnson was booked for a clear trip on Jose Enrique who was racing clear on the left. Then James, who had earlier scuffed an intended clearance for a corner against his own side, carried a freekick over the dead ball line when challenged by Taylor.

Pompey cleared Geremi's flagkick just before half-time and suddenly Kanu was through for a shot which hit Taylor on a heel and skipped up to strike his arm. But referee Phil Dowd decided quite rightly it was accidental despite the the wrath of the Pompey hordes.

Taylor, unfazed by the narrow escape and just back in Keegan's side after illness, was involved at the other end almost immediately, connecting with a flying volley that bounced just wide from Geremis cross.

Pompey will take the point - from their 22nd clean sheet of the season - and maintain the status quo with Everton in the race for fifth place in the Premier League. The Merseysiders draw at Birmingham keeps them five points ahead.

And for Keegan it is another positive result for his revival on a ground where few come away with many plusses.

6:49pm Saturday 12th April 2008

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