Blackburn ended their winless run in the Championship and moved into the play-offs as John Eustace’s men beat Portsmouth 3-0 at Ewood Park.
In the postponed contest that was postponed in November due to a waterlogged pitch caused by Storm Bertha, it was the visitors who came closest in the first half when Colby Bishop, who looked sure to score, hit the crossbar.
But substitute Makhtar Gueye’s header put Rovers ahead just after the hour mark and Callum Brittain headed in a second in the 71st minute moments after Bishop saw a header cleared off the line and Portsmouth – as they did it shortly before the opening – he asked for a penalty in vain.
Andreas Weimann added a third shortly after Blackburn, 1-0 FA Cup winners against Middlesbrough this weekend, recorded a first triumph in six league appearances to move up two places to fifth.
John Mousinho’s Pompey, who fell into the relegation zone thanks to Cardiff’s 1-1 draw against Watford on Tuesday, are now second bottom, a point behind the 21st-placed Bluebirds, after their fourth defeat in five league games.
Eustace: The substitutions made the difference
Blackburn manager Ivan Eustahi:
“We are delighted with the three points because this was a big game for us tonight.
“It was important to put things right after back-to-back defeats at home and I thought we were very good in the first 20 minutes and could have scored a few goals.
“We lost our way a bit in the first half and Portsmouth made it very difficult for us.
“It was important that we made the right changes in 55 or 60 minutes, which we did, and I thought they made a big difference.”
