Portsmouth produced three moments of outstanding individual quality to beat Millwall 3-1 at a windswept Fratton Park, securing their first Championship victory since early October and easing their relegation worries. Long-range strikes from Zak Swanson and Jordan Williams, either side of a looping finish from Segecic, proved enough to see off a Lions side who played the final quarter with 10 men after Joe Bryan's red card but still fought their way back into the contest.
Mihailo Ivanovic's goal from a corner briefly threatened a late Millwall comeback, and Max Crocombe made a string of saves to keep the visitors in the game, but Williams' late solo run and finish finally settled an absorbing encounter. The result lifted Portsmouth up to 19th in the table and extended their cushion to the bottom three to seven points, while Millwall, who arrived without a win in three outings, remained seventh despite a fourth consecutive league game without victory.
Thunderbolt ends the tension in stormy Fratton Park
The opening stages unfolded in swirling wind and rain on the south coast, conditions that contributed to a cagey and scrappy start. Portsmouth, who had collected only two points from their previous six matches, were understandably cautious but gradually began to take territorial control. The first clear sight of goal arrived when Josh Murphy whipped in a cross from the right and the ball bounced up invitingly for defender Regan Poole, only for him to slice his effort and allow Millwall to scramble clear.