Portsmouth have won six of their past seven home games
Portsmouth beat relegation rivals Stoke City to lift themselves out of the Championship's bottom three in impressive fashion at Fratton Park.
The Blues started in style as Colby Bishop gave them the lead from the penalty spot before Callum Lang headed over Stoke keeper Viktor Johansson to make it 2-0.
The Potters grew into the first half as it progressed and Ben Wilmot nodded home from a cross before the half-hour mark to keep his side within touching distance.
However, Portsmouth added to their lead early in the second half through Connor Ogilvie and never looked like relinquishing all three points from there.
The win was Pompey's sixth victory in their past seven home league games and they climb four places to 18th, leapfrogging Stoke who drop to 19th, two points above the relegation zone.
Before kick-off, Fratton Park rose to pay tribute to supporter Alec Lumb, who passed away after a medical emergency before Pompey's game against Middlesbrough on Saturday.
A minute's applause was impeccably observed by both sets of supporters in a touching and emotional moment.
Portsmouth started the game aggressively, pressuring Stoke and attacking with intent from the first minute.
That early pressure was rewarded as Ogilvie put a dangerous cross into the box in the direction of Lang who was pushed in his back by Josh Wilson-Esbrand as he jumped for a header.
Up stepped Portsmouth striker Bishop, who emphatically smashed the ball into the top left-hand corner to give his side the lead.
Minutes later it got even better for Portsmouth as a high looping clearance was left to bounce by Stoke defenders and Lang muscled his way into position before heading the ball over Potters keeper Johansson and into the net.
However, Stoke got one back just before the half-hour mark. Wilson-Esbrand whipped in a dangerous ball from just outside the box which flew to the back post where Wilmot headed home.
Portsmouth started the second half the same way they started the first, with a goal.
A corner was whipped in from the left-hand side by Freddie Potts and missed everyone in the box apart from Ogilvie who was waiting at the back post to strike the ball into the roof of the net.
After that, the Blues largely controlled the match, with Mark Robins' Stoke failing to muster any threat of a fightback and the Potters have now won just once in their past 14 league games.
Pompey used 'dark arts' - Robins
Stoke City boss Mark Robins speaking after the game:
"I'm really disappointed, they set the tone right from the start and we didn't live with that.
"We allowed them to bully us all night, I also didn't think for one second the referee was going to give a penalty and then he did, it is what it is.
"Let's have it right, they've thrown themselves to the floor, they've fouled us, kicked us and we've had nothing.
"It's all the dark arts, they've got experienced players in the other side of the game and it's old school football."
'We knew what was at stake' - Mousinho
Portsmouth boss John Mousinho speaking after the game:
"It feels great, we knew how important this was pre-game and just everything about what was at stake.
"It meant that we could get ourselves up the league and above Stoke so we knew it was really key.
"We were ruthless and clinical and came out on top in my opinion in pretty much every area.
"I think it was a penalty (in the first half) - when you push with two hands on the back you give an opportunity for the referee to give a foul."
