Portsmouth 1-2 Birmingham: Daily Mirror match report

Sequels are never as exciting as the original blockbuster, and after the giddy excitement of reaching Wembley came Pompey's hangover.

Two-goal Cameron Jerome supplied the plink-plink-fizz as Birmingham gained a measure of revenge for their FA Cup defeat at Fratton Park four days ago - and the Premier League's surprise package were worthy winners against the south coast's suspect package.

Brum boss Alex McLeish admitted he would have sacrificed three points last night to stay on the trail of Cup glory, but he added: "It's still better than being out of the Cup, stuck on 24 points and panicking for the rest of the season.

"Although seventh place, and Europe, are realistically going to be out of our reach, we can be proud of the way we have performed this year. We weren't quite up to it here on Saturday, but we took much more care of the ball tonight - and we took our chances."

While Jerome's crisp finishing and strike partner Chucho Benitez's box of tricks proved an irresistible combination for the Blues, Pompey fans defiantly went through their Wembley hymnbook in the knowledge that home defeats are the least of their worries when ruinous nine-point deductions and liquidation remain on the menu.

Seldom, if ever, has reaching Wembley been such a bitter-sweet experience as Pompey's run to the FA Cup semi-finals.

Administrator Andrew Andronikou is expected to announce swingeing job cuts today, with up to half the club's staff - including chief executive Peter Storrie - fearing a tap on the shoulder.

Then Portsmouth are due back in the High Court next Monday, when the taxman is expected to lodge further protests about the club completing their tax returns on the back of a crisp packet.

And the Football Association will only release Pompey's prize money for reaching the last four of their showpiece knockout competition if they survive further cross-examination from m'learned friends in the Chancery.

Even if they go on to reclaim the famous old pot Sol Campbell lifted just 22 months ago, Portsmouth's prospects of European football next season look slim and none - and slim is out of town right now.

They have already missed the deadline for a UEFA licence to get their passports stamped - and since any application has to be supported by a set of accounts, it looks as if the Isle of Wight ferry is the closest Avram Grant will get to the continent with this lot.

In his programme notes last night, Grant had gushed that reaching the Cup semi-finals with a skint rabble was "one of the proudest moments of my life."

But for once, the heroic spirit which has sustained his threadbare squad through a dismal winter of unpaid wages, invisible owners and firesales deserted them.

Jerome fired Birmingham ahead after a quarter of an hour, drilling his shot across England goalkeeper David James and in off the far post from Benitez's cushioned pass.

When the Colombian livewire was bundled over by Hermann Hreidarsson, referee Mike Jones - of beachball fame - added insult to injury by brandishing a yellow card for diving.

But within three minutes, Benitez's impudent back-heel sent Jerome clear to sweep his shot beneath the advancing James, and Brum never looked like surrendering their advantage.

Even a walk-on part as substitute for Kanu, the Wembley hero of 2008, could not lift Pompey from their torpor, although his 92nd-minute header from Jamie O'Hara's cross briefly put them on the scent of an undeserved point.

Grant refused to concede his players had given up on avoiding relegation, but the writing is not just on the wall for Pompey - it is trailed in plumes of smoke across the Southsea skyline.

He said: "The Premier League have not taken nine points off us yet (for going into administration), and when the players go out on the pitch they still want to win.

"But in the circumstances, winning on Saturday and going to Wembley was more important. I have spoken with the administrator and I know the club is not in a good situation financially.

"The biggest problem is that we didn't know what the problem was, but now we know we can try to find a solution - but any solution will not be easy."