Oct 31, 2009 - 2:47 PM
0 shoutsBy ALEX CROOK STATS European Football Writer=
LONDON (SE) - Striker Aruna Dindane bagged a hat-trick as bottom club Portsmouth thrashed Wigan 4-0 at Fratton Park on Saturday to ease the pressure on manager Paul Hart.
Dindane and strike partner Frederic Piquionne both scored their first Premier League goals to earn rejuvenated Pompey their first home win of the season.
It is the first time this season any Portsmouth front-man has netted in the league.
Boss Hart, whose job is rumoured to be under threat following Avram Grant's appointment as director of football, said: "It was a terrific performance and we got what we deserved.
"We have been playing like that over the last two months and not getting anything for it.
"We are still rooted to the bottom but my instruction today was to play with no fear and let their ability do the talking \2013 they did that.
"It was great to see Aruna and Freddie on the scoreboard and hopefully there are more goals to come from them."
Portsmouth should have taken the lead in the 26th minute when Dindane headed Kevin Prince Boateng's header over the crossbar after colliding with Piquionne.
Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland found Piquionne's 29th minute pile driver too hot to handle but reacted well to gather the rebound before Jamie O'Hara could pounce.
Dindane made amends for his earlier miss with a well-taken opener ten minutes before half time.
Algerian midfielder Hassan Yebda sliced the Wigan defence in two with a slotted through ball and Dindane neatly lifted the ball over the onrushing Kirkland and into the bottom left corner.
Portsmouth doubled their lead on the stroke of half time as Piquionne burst into the penalty area down the right and placed an angled shot into the opposite corner.
Dindane put the match out of hopeless Wigan's reach early the second half, sliding in to finish from close range after substitute Kanu and O'Hara had combined down the right.
Ivory Coast international Dindane completed the rout from the penalty spot in the final minute
Kanu was tripped by Emerson Boyce and Dindane stepped up to hammer the resulting kick into the roof of Kirkland's net.
The only sour note for Pompey was Piquionne being stretchered off midway through the second half after landing awkwardly on his knee.
Wigan, who also saw in-form Hugo Rodallega hobble off after falling over advertising boards, did not muster a single shot on target.
Midfielder Hendry Thomas's header high over the crossbar was the closest Roberto Martinez's side came to getting on the scoresheet.
Wigan boss Martinez said: "Our standards are a lot higher than these and the level of performance has been very good.
"Today was one of those games from start to finish where we could not be ourselves and Portsmouth took advantage.
"Portsmouth had momentum after beating Stoke in the Carling (League) Cup on Tuesday and were always going to start brightly and with huge intensity and we could not handle that.
"There were certain areas in which we did not meet anywhere near our standards and we got punished."
