Pedro Mendes' dramatic last-gasp goal rekindled Portsmouth's survival hopes as they beat Manchester City 2-1 Fratton Park.
City looked to have earned a point when Richard Dunne cancelled out Mendes' first goal, but former Tottenham man popped up with a brilliant goal deep into injury time to send Fratton Park into raptures.
The win was Portsmouth's first in five games and moves them to within six points of safety in the fight against the drop.
Both sides started edgy and nervously with each set of players needlessly giving the ball away with some careless passing.
It took until 18 minutes for the first chance of the game to be created when Tresor Lomana Lua Lua sent over an inviting cross into the box and Gary O'Neil beat his marker to the ball only to head well off target.
Manchester City had their first sight of goal on 23 minutes when Matt Taylor's poor clearance fell straight to Joey Barton on the edge of the box and the midfielder fired his shot just wide of the far post.
City captain Richard Dunne came to his side's rescue on 34 minutes when he made a vital interception to deny O'Neil running clear on goal from Brian Priske's pass.
Mendes called David James into the action on 39 minutes with a long-range strike which the England international comfortably collected.
A minute later James made a right mess of punching clear Sean Davis' cross with his attempted clearance falling at the feet of Benjani Mwaruwari and the Zimbabwean failed to take advantage of the mistake blazing his shot over the bar.
Trevor Sinclair forced Dean Kiely into his first save of the game right on the stroke of half time with a shot from the edge of the area which Kiely collected low down to his left.
Portsmouth started the second half brightly as they went in search of the crucial opening goal and James had to be alert to keep out Lua Lua's dangerous cross from right under the crossbar.
The subdued Georgios Samaras wasted a good opening on 51 minutes when he headed Barton's fine cross over the top from 12 yards out.
Benjani had a sight of goal two minutes later when a poor defensive clearance flew straight to him, but the former Auxerre man dragged his shot wide.
Portsmouth broke the deadlock on the hour when Andres D'Alessandro's inswinging corner was headed out to Mendes on the edge of the box and the former Tottenham man drilled a stunning shot into the bottom corner to send the home fans into raptures.
Two minutes later D'Alessandro curled a free kick from the edge of the box just over the top.
Portsmouth looked the more likely to score and Davis fizzed a long-range shot just wide of the target as City struggled to contain the home side.
Lua Lua fluffed a great chance 16 minutes from time when he broke clear of the City defence, but he mis-hit his shot with only James to beat.
Pompey won a dangerous free kick on the edge of the box on 77 minutes and from the dead ball Lua Lua saw his shot well saved by James.
City drew level seven minutes from time when Micah Richards headed Barton's corner goalwards and Samaras flicked towards Dunne who easily headed the ball home from close-range.
Portsmouth threw everything forward in the closing stages in a bid to restore their lead and Lua Lua saw a shot blocked by Richards and after an amazing goalmouth scramble City managed to clear their lines.
The home side were denied their second goal three minutes from time when substitute Svetoslav Todorov ran clear onto Priske's pass, but his shot was kept out by the legs of James.
Portsmouth grabbed a crucial winner deep into injury time when Mendes netted his second goal of the game with a stunning finish from the edge of the box to boost Pompey's relegation fight.
