Redknapp hails Portsmouth's magnificent seven

Portsmouth's Manager Harry Redknapp allows himself a smile as the stadium announcer congratulates him on his 60th Birthday, prior to a Premiership match at Fratton Park, Portsmouth, in March. Portsmouth manager saluted his magnificent seven after watching his side rout Reading 7-4 in the highest scoring game in Premier League history.

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp saluted his magnificent seven after watching his side rout Reading 7-4 in the highest scoring game in Premier League history.

Redknapp's side went goal crazy in a sensational game at Fratton Park that featured 11 goals, a missed penalty and a hat-trick from notoriously shot-shy striker Benjani Mwaruwari.

It was Portsmouth's biggest top-flight win for over 50 years and Redknapp was ecstatic.

"We were fantastic. We went in 2-1 up at half-time but we should have been four up," he said. "We had completely dominated the game and they had never even had a shot.

"Their keeper made an incredible save to deny Glen Johnson and then they scrambled a goal at the other end. It should have been game over but it was game on.

"But we came back at them, kept going forward and we played some great football today. There were some quality performances out there."

Portsmouth's Benjani Mwaruwari avoids the tackle during an English Premiership football match at Goodison Park, Liverpool, north west England, in May. Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp saluted his magnificent seven after watching his side rout Reading 7-4 in the highest scoring game in Premier League history. Portsmouth went goal crazy in a sensational game at Fratton Park that featured 11 goals, a missed penalty and a hat-trick from notoriously shot-shy Mwaruwari.

There was an early sign of the carnage to come when Benjani broke the deadlock for Portsmouth in the seventh minute, but the next goal took half an hour to arrive.

It was superb solo effort by Benjani and that opened the floodgates.

Stephen Hunt and Dave Kitson had brought Reading level by the 48th minute.

Hermann Hreidarsson headed Pompey back infront, then Benjani's third was followed by a fine strike from Nico Kranjcar and, after substitute Shane Long had pulled one back for Reading, Sean Davis netted a long-rang shot before Sulley Muntari made it 7-3 from the spot.

Nicky Shorey, who had earlier seen a penalty saved by David James, had the last word with a deflected fourth for the visitors.

Reading manager Steve Coppell admitted it was the most incredible experience of his football career, albeit one he would like to forget as soon as possible.

"I have never been involved in a game like that before," Coppell said. "It's hard to remember anything like that either as a player or a manager.

"There were 11 goals in the game and there could have been more. There was no indication at half-time that it was going to explode into life like that.

"It seemed as though when either side attacked it was going to end up in the back of the net."