Aruna Dindane netted a hat-trick as Portsmouth finally kick-started their winning campaign at Fratton Park with a convincing 4-0 victory over Wigan Athletic.

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Pompey were looking at an unwanted record, having lost their first five home league matches, but first half goals from Dindane and Frederic Piquionne soothed the hosts' nerves.

With the Latics offering little threat in return, Dindane's second goal midway through the second period all-but sewed up the three points and his stoppage-time penalty proved to be the icing on the cake for the troubled Hampshire side.

Both sides have had their off-field troubles in midweek, but when Kevin-Prince Boateng's third minute effort fizzed over Chris Kirkland's bar, the match seemed set for a cracker, but there was little to cheer the fans for much of the first period.

Ex-Wigan man Marc Wilson tried his luck with a 35-yard effort that sailed wide before Jamie O'Hara skied a shot right out of Fratton Park.

With Wigan unable to find an outlet, Boateng fired over and after Kirkland spilled Piquionne's strike, Dindane just failed to get to the loose ball ahead of the Latics keeper.

The Ivory Coast man had to wait just six more minutes before finding the net.

Brown's clever pass sent the striker away and as Kirkland came out, Dindane cleverly flicked it past the keeper to give Pompey the lead.

Wigan's best chance came courtesy of Jason Scotland, but the ex-Swansea man skewed his shot wide from eight yards.

It went from bad to worse for Wigan three minutes into stoppage time.

Piquionne raced on to Dindane's pass and calmly slid the ball past the advancing Kirkland to give Pompey a two-goal cushion at the break.

Piquionne was worryingly stretchered off ten minutes after the restart, and when replacement Nwankwo Kanu went down under Emmerson Boyce's soft challenge, Kirkland had to be alert to save Dindane's flick from O'Hara's delivery.

The respite lasted just three minutes. The ball was smartly kept in at the byline and when Kanu rolled the ball into the path of Dindane, the striker had the simple task of tapping the ball home.

Charles N'Zogbia came close with a rare Wigan effort that flew over David James's bar after a clever exchange with sub Olivier Kapo, but when the latter's shot was blocked and James beat the prowling Scott Sinclair to the rebound, the game was up for the visitors.

"We are staying up," chanted the Pompey faithful and insult was added to injury for Wigan at the death.

Boyce brought down Kanu and Dindane sent Kirkland the wrong way to complete his hat-trick.