Callum Lang scored his tenth goal of the season as Portsmouth marked John Mousinho's second anniversary with a 3-1 victory over Stoke in the Championship.
Colby Bishop grabbed an early penalty before Lang and Connor Ogilvie sent Pompey above Stoke to 18th – their highest position since the end of August.
Ben Wilmot had pulled the score back to 2-1 but the Potters, who have one win in their last 14, could not prevent Portsmouth from recording a sixth win in seven home games to allay their relegation worries.
Mousinho arrived at Fratton Park on January 20, 2023 before securing the League One title, and as he had been in charge for two years, Stoke presented him with two gifts to take a 2-0 lead inside 13 minutes.
Josh Wilson-Esbrand, whose move to Stoke from Manchester City was announced at 10am, gave away a penalty just four minutes after his debut.
Pompey had sent a warning when Isaac Hayden failed to bundle the ball over the line from two yards before Wilson-Esbrand – who had worked with Mark Robins at Coventry – needlessly pushed Callum Lang over.
Colby Bishop sent in the penalty, the 17th he had successfully converted since arriving at Pompey two and a half years ago.
The Potters were disjointed and there was little surprise when they found themselves 2-0 down inside ten minutes due to another defensive error.
This time, Pompy goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid's long ball was allowed to bounce by Wilmot before Lang beat him in the running game to score a header over Viktor Jonasson.
The hosts' 15-minute dominance disappeared as Stoke grew into the match. Lewis Baker left Schmid on the spot as his effort went just wide.
And they pulled one back through two conciliatory defenders. Wilson-Esbrand delivered a dream ball at the back post for Wilmot to nod.
Apart from Baker's shot from distance, the first half lost attacking quality, but just like at the start of the match, Pompey scored within five minutes of the restart.
West Ham loanee Freddie Potts' inswinging corner gave Ogilvie space to pull down and fire into the roof of the net.
During Portsmouth's unbeaten run at home, they scored at least three times in five games.
And the home side could have made it even more comfortable when Hayden went wide, Matt Ritchie had a shot deflected away in the penalty area and Bishop rifled a shot across the face of goal.
The result was revenge for a 6–1 defeat to Stoke in October, with the visitors scoring just one shot off target in the second half.
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