SECOND-HALF goals by Nwankwo Kanu and Pedro Mendes sealed Portsmouth's comfortable home win against Reading after Brynjar Gunnarsson's own goal . . . on his full Premiership debut . . .

gave them a perfect start.

Reading pulled one back late on through Kevin Doyle but were outclassed by Pompey for whom Kanu headed his seventh goal of the season.

Kanu made his presence felt for Portsmouth early on, wriggling clear to strike a low shot against a post in only the second minute, but referee Phil Dowd spotted his arms around Ibrahima Sonko as they chased a throughball. Reading struggled to get out of their own half and Portsmouth were rewarded when an own-goal gave them the lead. Following two consecutive corners Pedro Mendes curled over an inswinging delivery to the near post. Although Kanu threw himself at it, Gunnarsson appeared to apply the final touch.

Kanu snatched a second Pompey goal in the 52nd minute . . . his seventh of the season. Reading failed to clear Taylor's cross from the left and, when the ball fell to Sol Campbell just outside the area, he volleyed it perfectly on to Kanu's head and the big Nigerian, just onside, nodded home from close range.

The game looked up for the Royals when Mendes hit a third goal . . . his first of the sesaon . . . in the 66th minute.

Doyle's header only cleared O'Neill's corner to the edge of the area and Mendes cracked it back through a crowd of players and in off the inside of a post.

Reading pulled a goal back in an 85th minute goalmouth scramble following a corner when Doyle stabbed home.

But it was only a late flurry by Reading as Pompey soft-pedalled to the finishing line with Lomana Lua Lua coming close near the end.