Leicester City...1 Portsmouth...1 For almost an hour last night Trevor Benjamin's early goal returned Leicester to the top spot they held for a few heady days in August, but once again it was not to last.

Both managers had cautioned beforehand that this was not the title decider that many believed it to be, but it was hard last night to see it as anything other than an early celebration of promotion.

If the opportunity finally to overtake their opponents was not motivation enough for Leicester, the Portsmouth captain Paul Merson provided some more on Sunday with some derogatory comments about their defence which the manager placed prominently in the home dressing-room.

It appeared to have an instant effect, for while Svetoslav Todorov and Yacubu Ayegbeni toiled without immediate reward, it was a Portsmouth defender who made a costly mistake.

In the ninth minute Arjan de Zeeuw had ample opportunity to clear to safety but in looking for a telling pass he gave Jamie Scowcroft a chance to close in, the ball deflecting to Trevor Benjamin who scored with a low shot.

But Portsmouth were not to be denied and wing-back Matthew Taylor, pushed further forward as the second half began, brought them level with a wonderful piece of skill in the 65th minute, controlling well before curling the ball past Walker and in off the far post.

LEICESTER: Walker, Sinclair, Elliott, Taggart, Rogers, McKinlay, Izzet, Davidson, Scowcroft, Dickov (Wright 83), Benjamin (Summerbee 74). Subs Not Used: Stewart, Jones, Flowers. Booked: Scowcroft, McKinlay. Goals: Benjamin 9.

PORTSMOUTH: Hislop, Primus, Foxe, De Zeeuw, Harper, Sherwood, Quashie, Taylor, Merson, Ayegbini (Pericard 80), Todorov (Diabate 90). Subs Not Used: Kawaguchi, Festa, O'Neil. Booked: Quashie. Goals: Taylor 65.

Referee: M Pike (Cumbria).