Tuncay Sanli's goal was good enough to give Middlesbrough a 1-0 win away to Portsmouth as the home side failed to score at Fratton Park for the sixth-straight Premier League match.
Former Pompey favorite Gary O'Neil returned to haunt his old club by setting up Sanli's 20th minute winner as Boro moved up the table and away from the relegation zone.
Portsmouth pressed for an equalizer and almost got one after the break, but Nwankwo Kanu hit the post from 5m out.
That left Pompey still searching for a goal in front of their own fans since September's dramatic 7-4 defeat of Reading.
The south coast club started brightly but fell behind when England winger Stuart Downing found O'Neil, whose volleyed cross-shot from the far post was turned in by Sanli.
O'Neil and Robert Huth then both wasted chances to extend Boro's lead.
Middlesbrough keeper Mark Schwarzer smothered an early Niko Kranjcar effort, but from then on the Australia international was largely untroubled.
Just before halftime, Pompey's Papa Bouba Diop skied a shot over the bar from 8m out.
Pompey's best chance came midway through the second half when substitute Matthew Taylor, a halftime replacement for Hermann Hreidarsson, sent a freekick into the penalty area from the right only for Kanu to strike the ball against the visitor's post from close range.
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