Substitute Matt Crooks fired home the only goal of the game, capitalising on a big error at the back in the second half at Fratton Park to take all 3 points back up to the North East.
Despite 21 shots and 11 corners, Portsmouth were unable to find a breakthrough, and were ultimately sucker-punched when Tigers sub Matt Crooks tapped home the winning goal.
John Mousinho’s side remain 19th in the Championship despite defeat, thanks to both Leicester City and Blackburn Rovers picking up defeats in the two other midday kick-offs.
There were two changes to the side that only just lost 2-1 at Wrexham in midweek.
In came Harvey Blair for Gustavo Caballero, as well as Adrian Segečić for the injured John Swift.
The Blues dominated a large portion of the opening 45, with Zak Swanson testing Ivor Pandur from distance, where his shot won one of almost a dozen Blues corners of the game.
Terry Devlin then tested his luck from around 20+ yards out, with Pandur dropping the ball, and Colby Bishop was ready to pounce on the rebound, but he was pulled back by Charlie Hughes.
HALF-TIME: Portsmouth 0-0 Hull City
Just a minute after the interval, Segečić’s left-footed corner to the near post reached Ebou Adams, who flicked the ball onto Bishop to the back post, but the number nine's effort went wide across the goal.
Millenic Alli later fired a shot at Pandur’s near post, with the Croatian shot-stopper smartly thumping the ball in the air with his gloves to stop a Blue shirt getting onto the parried ball.
Sergej Jakirović’s side then took advantage of Pompey’s missed chances to take the lead.
Segečić was closed down by Oli McBurnie, who slid the ball away from Nicolas Schmid and onto Crooks, who tapped the ball home 73 minutes gone, to make it 1-0 to the visitors.
The hosts had chances to find an equaliser, and came close when Hughes almost headed Swanson’s ball into the 18-yard box into his own net.
Portsmouth proved to be desperate in the seven minutes of added time, with Madiodio Dia coming in. forward role, on his Fratton Park debut.
However, Jakirović brought on Paddy McNair to turn The Tigers into a back five, as they sat behind the ball and stopped Pompey from achieving at least a point late on.
FULL-TIME: Portsmouth 0-1 Hull City
Next up: On Saturday, John Mousinho’s travel to East Lancashire, as they face Michael O’Neill’s Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park, in a 12:30 kick-off.
Portsmouth: 1. Schmid (GK), 24. Devlin (55. Dia), 5. Poole, 3. Ogilvie, 22. Swanson (36. Chaplin), 7. Pack (C), 38. Adams (40. Brown), 29. Blair (47. Caballero), 10. Segečić, 27. Alli, 9. Bishop (Formation: 4-2-3-1)
Unused subs: 26. Bursik (GK), 2. Williams, 14. Matthews, 16. Le Roux, 17. Bowat
Head coach: John Mousinho
Hull: 1. Pandur (GK), 2. Coyle (C), 15. Egan, 4. Hughes, 23. Famewo, 20. Hadžiahmetović (25. Crooks), 27. Slater (26. Dowell), 22. Joseph (5. Lundstram), 21. Gelhardt (7. Millar), 36. Koumas (37. McNair), 9. McBurnie (Formation: 4-2-3-1)
Unused subs: 12. Phillips (GK), 18. Drameh, 55. Howard (GK), 58. McCarthy
Goals: Crooks 73’
Bookings: Hadžiahmetović 60’, Pandur 88’, Coyle 90+6’
Manager: Sergej Jakirović
Referee: Sam Allison
Venue: Fratton Park
Attendance: 20,288 (including 988 Hull City fans)
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