GENEROUS onlookers will survey the mixed outcome of Stoke's first seven Premier League fixtures and conclude: Not too bad, but not quite good enough.

And a similar verdict will be passed on yesterday's offering as they once again fell narrowly short of the quality required in vital areas at either end of the pitch.

There is no disgrace in losing to goals by England duo Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe – just as there was no disgrace in losing to Chelsea eight days previous – but a lingering disappointment lies in their failure to make their opposition work harder for their victories.

Stoke's angst and self-recrimination was all the greater yesterday after so easily relinquishing their one genuine foothold in the game when they conceded within three minutes of equalising just after half-time.

How infuriating, how costly.

Even then, you might suppose, there was always the prospect of Portsmouth's midweek UEFA Cup exertions draining them of vital energy and concentration in the closing stages.

But Stoke were never quite able to ask the necessary questions after failing to summon the necessary guile – or impose sufficient pressure – against hosts boasting better physiques and bigger squads at this exalted level.

Indeed, Portsmouth's second-half comfort was such that Harry Redknapp, notwithstanding all his pre-match bellyaching about tired players, didn't bother making a substitution until the dying moments.

Now Stoke have a fortnight's break in which to reflect on their progress, rectify their failings and try desperately to avoid drawing any grim conclusions from the present league table.

Yesterday's two teams were ultimately divided in the first half by some true English quality as Defoe and Crouch combined to devastating and – in any other circumstance – glorious effect to break the deadlock just after the midway point of the opening period.

Stoke's otherwise diligent defending was temporarily AWOL as a ball towards their box left Leon Cort seeking the goalkeeper's shout that never came, leaving him to clear with less authority than he might have.

Pompey duly mopped up possession once more as Defoe dinked one towards the left-hand corner of the box for Crouch to unwind a sweetly-struck scissor kick that seared across a motionless Steve Simonsen and inside his left-hand post.

A moment of genuine class Portsmouth had only hinted at, in truth, as much of their approach play in the opening period was thwarted by the wrong final ball or some typically stoic defending.

Portsmouth's earlier efforts had all been from distance as Papa Bouba Diop and Armand Traore both dragged efforts wide of Simonsen's left upright after the home side were kept largely at arm's length.

Simonsen's only first-half save of note came in the 33rd minute when Stoke's failure to truly clear their lines left the ball being returned towards the ever predatory Defoe for a low shot the keeper was happy to merely block.

City's one stroke of fortune in front of their own goal arrived on 42 minutes, perhaps, when Traore's electrifying pace down the left opened up a shooting chance Defoe seemed certain to accept until apparently being impeded by Seyi Olofinjana amid unanswered cries for a penalty.

Stoke's play might not have been as fluent as their hosts, but they hardly lacked penetration in the first period when you stack up the what ifs and maybes in front of David James.

And no-one caught a clearer sight of goal than Dave Kitson in the 12th minute when, having been sent clear by Rory Delap's ricocheted interception down the middle, City's record signing drew the advancing James before chipping beyond his diving body and a couple of feet wide of the far post.

Stoke conjured up a more conventional route towards goal three minutes later when Delap's long throw-in was kept alive by Cort's header before Ricardo Fuller did likewise to send James diving to his left to save.

Delap's deadliest first-half throw came in the 21st minute when James, who came for practically everything, was among a cluster of players missing out at the near post before turning to see Michael Tonge narrowly fail to connect with his head at the far post.

City wormed their way behind Portsmouth's far from secure back line again in the 34th minute when Delap released Fuller for a jink past James from a tight angle before slipping and going to ground.

Sensible refereeing, in keeping with Andre Marriner's display throughout, meant there was neither a penalty against James, nor a booking for Fuller after a perfectly innocent slip.

Fuller appeared to possess far greater evidence of a foul in the 39th minute, however, when Sylvain Distin tumbled all over him a split second before Kitson's tame shot failed to perturb James from close quarters.

Stoke's first-half fortunes were epitomised when Delap slid over the goal-line and required treatment for his leg amid heartless howls from home fans recalling his previous Southampton connections, but he kept his head, just as his colleagues had to keep theirs if they were to collect any rewards in the second half.

Simonsen's handling was soon called upon after the break for the first of several second-half saves as he dived to his right to ensure a Richard Hughes effort from far afield didn't sneak inside the woodwork.

James was to enjoy no such clear view at the other end in the 48th minute, however, as Stoke levelled from Delap's first missile after the break.

Kitson deserves great credit for straining every sinew to flick on at the near post to not only take James and his defenders out of the game, but leave Fuller ghosting in to bundle home from a foot or two out.

But City's joy and relief was horribly short-lived. Defoe issued a quick reminder of his presence with a cracker past Simonsen and against his left upright, but his sights were spot on shortly after when he cut in from the left and drilled low inside the keeper's right-hand post to restore Pompey's advantage.

Portsmouth successfully warded off Delap's next throw, but conceded a corner from which Danny Higginbotham volleyed over with a worthy effort from inside the area.

A third goal would kill it, you sensed, and it should have arrived shortly before the hour when Traore spurned a shooting opportunity to tee up Crouch for a shot Simonsen did superbly to anticipate and paw away. The keeper was well positioned once more to ensure Traore's cross shot failed to find its destination, while Crouch headed a free-kick a couple of yards wide as the noose threatened to tighten around the visitors past the hour mark.

The referee's sensible officiating ensured Simonsen was only booked for a mis-timed lunge on Defoe down towards the corner flag which was, despite the home crowd's demands for red, never a legitimate scoring chance.

Pompey retained the impetus as Defoe tested Simonsen again at his near post, while Fuller chose the wrong option with the second of two encouraging incursions deep into Portsmouth domain at the other end.

With three pairs of fresh legs behind the cause, including a debut for Tom Soares, the visitors were not without hope, just inspiration, approaching the final 10 minutes of a contest still awaiting a final verdict.

Sadly, Sidibe flicked on too powerfully for Fuller, while Richard Cresswell's promising foray down the left petered out with a poorly-executed back heel for Higginbotham, who was up in support.

Cresswell's scrapping won an injury-time corner from which Abdoulaye Faye skewed well off target under pressure, leaving his side reflecting on their failure to work James far harder then they did for more than half-an-hour at 2-1.