Graham Rix made the perfect start to his managerial career with a comfortable First Division win over punchless Burnley.

Burnley were the perfect opponents for Rix's first match, neat enough in midfield but posing no threat in attack.

Rix sprung a surprise before the start by plucking 20-year-old Steve Lovell from the reserves and giving him his first starting chance for more than a year.

Lovell, transfer listed by previous boss Steve Claridge, responded with a lively performance and earned the penalty from which Portsmouth scored their second goal.

Pompey had to wait until the 58th minute before taking the lead when Lee Sharpe put Jason Crowe clear down the right and his centre was turned in from six yards by another 20-year-old striker, Luke Nightingale.

Portsmouth's second goal came in the 70th minute when Lovell was sent crashing by a clumsy challenge from Gordon Armstrong and Michael Panopoulos stepped up to score from the spot-kick.

There was almost a third for Rix's new charges when Sharpe hit a post from the edge of the area in the 83rd minute.

Burnley managed only one shot on target and when it came 10 minutes from time an effort from Glen Little caused no problems for home goalkeeper Aaron Flahavan.

Burnley manager Stan Ternent sent on substitutes John Mullin, Lee Briscoe and Ian Cox in the second half in a bid to bring some life to his team but it was too late.

Cox, late back from international duty in the Caribbean, could only find a place on the bench.

When he came on in the 76th minute in place of former Portsmouth defender Kevin Ball he was booked within seconds for a foul on the edge of the area.

There were bookings also for Paul Weller of Burnley and Jamie Vincent, whose yellow card marred a solid home debut for Portsmouth.

Teams:

Portsmouth: Flahavan, Crowe, Moore, Hiley, Vincent, Panopoulos, Brady, Sharpe, Nightingale (Harper 87), Mills, Lovell (Rudonja 90).

Subs Not Used: Tardif, Thogersen, Waterman.

Booked: Vincent.

Goals: Nightingale 56, Panopoulos 69 pen.

Burnley: Michopoulos, Thomas, Davis, Armstrong, Little, Cook, Taylor, Branch (Briscoe 59), Moore, Weller, Ball (Cox 72).

Subs Not Used: Crichton, Maylett, Mullin.

Booked: Weller, Cox.

Att: 12,941

Ref: N Barry (Scunthorpe).