Portsmouth claimed an important three points in their bid for Championship survival as they beat Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 at Hillsborough.
The Owls may have fancied their chances as their only league win in an otherwise miserable season came against the visitors back in September but Adrian Segecic's second-half goal was enough to give Pompey the victory in a game with a lack of any real attacking quality shown from both sides.
Portsmouth had the first chance of the match as Wednesday gave the ball away in their own half but Terry Devlin could only shoot wide from inside the penalty area.
At the other end, Svante Ingelsson did well to beat his man and cross in from the left and Jamal Lowe's flick went wide of the mark.
Lowe was involved once more when his header was brilliantly saved by Pompey keeper Nicolas Schmid but the flag was raised for offside in any case.
Owls captain Barry Bannan lobbed the ball over Portsmouth's back line to play in Ingelsson but he could only fire his effort wide.
Portsmouth debutant Millenic Alli went for goal from a narrow angle down the left hand side but his powerfully struck drive could only find the side netting.
On-loan Owls keeper Murphy Cooper had to be quick off the mark to deny Segecic when he was played through on goal in the last chance of the first half.
The visitors had the first opening of the second period. Conor Chaplin's ball into the box was dangerous but young defender Yisa Alao was there to make an excellent interception at the back post.
Pompey took the lead in the 65th minute when Conor Shaughnessy played the ball down the left to Alli, whose low cross found Segecic and his effort smashed off the post and in.
Wednesday brought on Charlie McNeill and new signing Jaden Heskey in an attempt to get back in the game but it was all Portsmouth for the rest of the game; their fans delighted with the performance and a big three points.
Portsmouth remain just ahead of the drop zone in 21st, while Wednesday stay rock bottom as their search for a first home league win of the campaign goes on.
Sheffield Wednesday's Henrik Pedersen:
"In the first half it was a very equal game. We tried to press a bit higher than usual and we made a lot of good interceptions high up the pitch.
"I think before the goal the second half was also very equal. We knew they would be more direct and we dealt with it until they scored on the transition. The game went flat after the goal and we never really got back into it.
"We are looking better and better in possession but we still have a difficulty creating big chances. That last pass, last cross, last movement is still a challenge for us.
"I asked my players to be brave on the ball and they were, sometimes even too brave. Maybe we were too risky in our possession but I can only praise my players for trying."
Portsmouth's John Mousinho:
"We came here to win the game and we've come away with three really big points. This is a much harder place to come than people give Wednesday credit for.
"We know they haven't won here this season but they've put in some strong performances. They put out a really good squad in terms of Championship quality.
"I have a huge amount of sympathy for Wednesday with the situation they're in but it's tough as the opposition when you're just expected to show up and win.
"I thought we were poor in the first half; we were too sloppy in possession. Wednesday were better than us without either side creating too many chances.
"I thought the performance in the second half, especially after our goal, was excellent. We could've been more clinical going forward but Nicolas (Schmid) didn't have a save to make so I'm really pleased we saw the game out in that way."
