Pompey march continues

Harry Redknapp's Portsmouth secured their fourth successive win by beating Wigan 2-0 with late strikes at the JJB Stadium.

Benjani Mwaruwari fired home the simplest of chances from Sulley Muntari's left-wing cross in the 81st minute and four minutes later Glen Johnson hit a low effort past Chris Kirkland from the edge of the box to make it 2-0.

Things had looked promising for Wigan in the opening two minutes. Michael Brown flung a long free-kick into the box which was knocked across goal by Andreas Granqvist and Paul Scharner shaved the woodwork with a diving header.

Niko Kranjcar's long-range effort flashed well wide for Pompey and a flicked header in the box from Wigan's Antoine Sibierski also sailed the wrong side of the post as both sets of strikers struggled to assert themselves.

In an all too brief interlude of Wigan pressure, Marcus Bent - their most recent scorer against Reading last month - burst down the right flank in the 39th minute, but his shot from a tight angle found the side netting.

Nigerian Julius Aghahowa provided some brief entertainment after replacing Sibierski in the 51st minute. Before even touching the ball he had clattered Sol Campbell and earned a yellow card from referee Peter Walton.

Pompey pressed through Kranjcar, who played in Benjani for a shot which deflected high over the bar, before Campbell came close to connecting with the Croatian's resulting corner in front of goal.

Then Muntari blazed a long-range free-kick inches wide.

A goal arrived nine minutes from time when Benjani converted the simplest of chances to grab his seventh goal of the season as he poked home a perfect Muntari cross.

And Johnson wrapped up victory when he was allowed to roam unchallenged across the Latics penalty box before drilling a low shot past Chris Kirkland into the corner of the net.