Adams stays out of handball question

Portsmouth manager Tony Adams insists he does not know whether Peter Crouch's controversial opener in the holders' 2-0 FA Cup third-round replay win at Bristol City should have stood.

Crouch appeared to have handled in his own box just seconds before his goal and referee Michael Jones' decision to let play continue allowed Nadir Belhadj to combine with Armand Traore and set the forward up at the other end.

Adams said: "I didn't see it. It was a good counter-attack but apart from that. I don't get involved in controversy. I can't control these things because they are moments of luck and chance. I concentrate on working with the team and getting them organised."

City manager Gary Johnson thought his side had deserved to take the tie into extra time at the very least and vowed to take out his frustration on the family pet.

He said: "I will go home and kick the cat, whose name is Referee by the way.

"The TV guys asked me straightaway if I wanted to look at a replay because it definitely looked like handball but I didn't want to spend the second half ranting and raving and not enjoying the game.

"But from most people's point of view it looked like an infringement."

Portsmouth will now be at home to Swansea in the fourth round after the Coca-Cola Championship side won 2-1 at non-league Histon.

Adams hopes to have bolstered his threadbare squad by then with some new signings after seeing striker Jermain Defoe and midfielder Lassana Diarra leave for Spurs - their Premier League opponents at White Hart Lane on Sunday - and Real Madrid respectively.

He said: "I will do a roll call and hopefully there will be reinforcements too. We are down the line with a few."