Hislop’s Portsmouth finish season in style

LONDON:  Portsmouth, with their Trinidadian goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, finished the 2002/2003 English First Division Championship in style Sunday, whipping Bradford 5-0 at The Bradford and Bringley Stadium.

Bulgarian striker Svetoslav Todorov grabbed a 10-minute hat-trick as Portsmouth celebrated their championship win and promotion to the Premier League with a ruthless demolition of the home side. Jamaica international striker Deon Burton was on the bench for Portsmouth. Todorov took his tally for the season to 26 with three goals early in the second half after Gianluca Festa had marked his final appearance for Portsmouth with the first-half opener. Former England midfielder Steve Stone completed the scoring in the 67th minute as Portsmouth prepared for life in the Premiership in the best possible fashion. Portsmouth ended with season with 29 wins 11 draws and six defeats for 98 points, six ahead of Leicester (92), with Sheffield United a distant third on 80 points.