Striker Steve Lovell came off the bench to score with his first touch as Portsmouth extended their unbeaten run under new manager Graham Rix to plunge Stockport closer to the relegation zone.

Lovell came on as an 84th-minute replacement for on-loan Chelsea striker Robert Wolleaston and he made an immediate impact to earn Portsmouth their second win in three games under Rix.

The 20-year-old striker cut in from the right and evaded two Stockport challenges before curling an unstoppable shot past veteran goalkeeper Andy Dibble for his first League goal.

The defeat means Stockport have not won in their last 10 League games and they last tasted victory in the First Division on New Year's Day.

Striker Lee Bradbury, returning to the starting line-up following a three-match ban, had broken the deadlock in the 74th minute with his eighth goal of the season after good work on the left from the impressive Wolleaston.

The big striker won possession close to the touch-line before striding forward and delivering an inviting centre for Bradbury to side-foot home passed stranded keeper Dibble.

But Stockport, who had drawn 16 matches already this season, looked to have earned a share of the points as they pulled themselves level just 60 seconds later.

Portsmouth defender David Waterman slipped as he tried to clear a long ball down field from Dibble, allowing Finnish international striker Shefki Kuqi to stride through on goal and easily beat oncoming keeper Aaron Flahavan with a cool finish.

Portsmouth have been pressed into playing record striker signing Lee Mills as an emergency centre-back - captain Darren Moore is out for the season through injury and defender Jason Crowe suspended - and neither side had looked like breaking the deadlock before the final eventful 15 minutes.

Wolleaston forced a good save from Dibble low at his near post with a 20-yard drive on 20 minutes while the striker rattled the underside of the crossbar 12 minutes into the second half with a thunderous drive from the edge of the area.

Dibble saved at full stretch from substitute Kevin Harper on 72 minutes as Stockport continued to defend resolutely, but they had no answer to the late introduction of Lovell.

Teams:

Portsmouth: Flahavan, Panopoulos, Hiley, Waterman, Vincent, Brady, Sharpe, Rudonja (Harper 63), Bradbury, Wolleaston (Lovell 84), Mills.

Subs Not Used: Tardif, Nightingale, Buxton.

Booked: Harper.

Goals: Bradbury 76, Lovell 85.

Stockport: Dibble, Connelly, Nicholson, Flynn, Roget, Grayson (Carrigan 86), Fradin, Wiss, Cooper (Gibb 79), Kuqi, Wilbraham.

Subs Not Used: Jones, Clark, Clare.

Booked: Wiss, Connelly.

Goals: Kuqi 77.

Att: 12,202

Ref: A Bates (Stoke on Trent).