Hull City 1 Portsmouth 2: Veteran Barmby unflustered by Hull's troubles

The afternoon began with Hull fans applauding the visitors' followers before what could have been their club's last game only to start taunting them with "you're going bust in the morning" once hostilities had kicked off.

Off-the-field talk was expected to have centred on the proposed takeover of Hull City until Portsmouth announced on Friday night that liquidation rather than coming out of administration was a more likely outcome after former owner Alexandre Gaydamak had refused to sign a deal to sell to Balram Chainrai.

By the end of the day, however, settlement had been reached – Gaydamak will be paid 2.2m in installments – and Portsmouth, who entered administration in February with debts of 120m, yesterday confirmed the completion of the sale to Chainrai, Levi Kushnir and Deepak Chainrai, following the approval of the Football League.

Such is the crazy world of football finances, though, at least manager Steve Cotterill was candid enough to admit the club had only itself to blame for getting into such a predicament. If only Hull could wipe the slate clean in a similar manner to their fellow relegated club.

The Tigers exited the Premier League with debts of around 22m and owner Russell Bartlett has to decide whether to accept 150m-worth Hull-based Egyptian businessman Assem Allam's 12m bid or strike a deal with an interested American bank as he wrestles to cover the crippling financial losses.

Whatever happens in the boardroom should not be a distraction to the players, admitted Hull's home-town hero Nick Barmby after a second home defeat in a week.

The Tigers improved from defeat to Sheffield United but found Pompey to be a class act even though the average football fan will be nonplussed as to how they could have retained such quality and, no doubt, highly-paid players amid a mountain of debt.

Former England striker Barmby retains the enthusiasm of a trainee and he silenced his Pompey detractors with the goal which gave the Tigers hope just when a few heads had started to drop following goals either side of the interval.

The much-travelled Barmby, 36, said: "There have always been well-documented problems off the pitch at all the clubs I have been at. The biggest club in the world has had problems off the pitch this week (Manchester United/Wayne Rooney) so every club has problems off the pitch.

"The players are paid to do a job and that's on the pitch. We are not paid to talk about what goes on off the pitch and I have never been in a dressing room where the discussion has been all about the politics."

Hull are hovering too close to the relegation zone for comfort but Barmby continued: "It's not lack of confidence. You have to roll up your sleeves, stop feeling sorry for yourself and get on with it. It's as simple as that.

"This club is built on commitment. We showed that when we got into the Premiership. We know we can do it and we need to get back to that but we have seven or eight players who have come in and they need to get used to the ethics of the club but they'll get there."

On his own form, Barmby, who got between two defenders to head home a deep cross from Robert Koren in the 62nd minute, added: "If you feel fit it does not matter how old you are. I've been feeling fit and sharp for the last couple of years and I still love my football, so as long as that continues I will continue to play."

Manager Nigel Pearson, who made Barmby one of four changes to the side but would not expand on why he had to make a match-day change to his original selection, said: "He did ever so well. I'm very pleased with him. He's 36 and an example to everybody."

Barmby partnered the restored Rowan Vine up front with Nolberto Solano and Jamie Devitt, making his full debut, as the other changes out on the flanks.

The changes helped Hull make a bright start, Daniel Ayala volleying wide from their best opportunity but then Portsmouth began to click into gear, their attacks flowed with composed intent. They forced nine corners inside 30 minutes, David Nugent clipping the bar from outside the area.

Hull seemed to have weathered the storm and a diving header from Devitt whistled wide but Matt Duke knew little about a header from John Utaka which thudded off his chest in the 45th minute and the Pompey winger capitalised on Ayala's mistake near halfway to send Nugent through to finish with aplomb in stoppage time.

A shove by Ayala after the break allowed right-back Greg Halford to drive home a free-kick which took a deflection past Duke and Pompey looked set to coast to the end until Barmby struck and half-time substitute James Harper, making his long-awaited debut after a broken foot, drove them on from midfield.

Pompey were still a threat on the break and, although Pearson introduced Jay Simpson for the injured Koren and striker Mark Cullen replaced Devitt, who had stuck to his remit of getting out wide and providing the crosses, the visitors comfortably kept their lead intact.

Lesser sides may not have been so capable.

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