Portsmouth's new recruit Yacubu Ayegbini marked his first full start with a goal as the leaders maintained their two-point advantage at the top of the table.

Pompey never needed to get out of first gear to dispose of a woeful Grimsby side whose fate was sealed when their defender Simon Ford scored an own goal.

The result gave Harry Redknapp's promotion favourites their first home win since November.

Nigel Quashie added further gloss to a fine performance by netting in the last minute.

Nigeria international Ayegbini, signed from Maccabi Haifa and scorer of five Champions League goals this season, wasted no time in justifying his selection ahead of Vincent Pericard.

It took Portsmouth just over a minute-and-a-half to call Grimsby goalkeeper Danny Coyne into action as he held a shot from Svetoslav Todorov.

Merson vision

And two minutes later they were ahead as Ayegbini made a fine start to his partnership with Todorov, latching on to a pass from the Bulgarian and stroking the ball home from close range.

Grimsby's inability to gain a foothold in the match resulted in frustration which led to the booking of Darren Mansaram after 23 minutes for a foul on Linvoy Primus.

To their credit, Paul Groves' strugglers held out to go into the break only one goal down.

The visitors did look more threatening as soon as the second period began and Steve Livingstone had their first strike at goal but but sent the ball wide.

After 73 minutes, Pompey doubled their lead.

Kevin Harper sent over a cross which evaded everyone in the area before being sent back in by Matthew Taylor, and his ball cannoned off Ford into the net.

Todorov and Ayegbini went close to increasing the victory margin in the closing stages.

But it was Quashie who had the final say, breaking through to capitalise on a sublime Paul Merson pass in stoppage time.

Portsmouth: Hislop, Primus, Foxe, Tavlaridis, Harper, Merson, Sherwood, Quashie, Taylor, Todorov, Ayegbini. Subs: Kawaguchi, Crowe, Diabate, Burton, Pericard.

Grimsby: Coyne, Groves, Chettle, Ford, McDermott, Campbell, Bolder, Santos, Gallimore, Livingstone, Mansaram. Subs: Allaway, Soames, Ward, Cooke, Parker.

Referee: A Bates (Staffordshire).