Blackburn Rovers scored three second-half goals to beat Championship strugglers Portsmouth and move into the play-off positions with victory at Ewood Park.

Rovers opened the scoring through Makhtar Gueye who nodded the ball into the net after Pompey had strong appeals for a penalty waved away.

Callum Brittain then doubled the advantage with a thumping right-footed strike into the top corner after a devastating counter-attack, before Andreas Weimann added a third with less than 15 minutes remaining.

The win moves Blackburn up two places to fifth in the Championship table, while Portsmouth remain in the relegation zone and drop to second from bottom below Hull City on goal difference.

The Blues still have one game in hand over the teams around them.

Blackburn started the game well and almost led in the opening minutes of the game when Weimann ran through only to fire his shot well over the bar.

Portsmouth failed to register a shot on target in the first half but their best effort came from a set-piece which struck the woodwork.

Freddie Potts crossed in from a free-kick and the ball was headed back across for Colby Bishop who prodded it towards goal from seven yards, but his attempt hit the bar.

Early in the second half Portsmouth had big claims for a penalty waved away after Josh Murphy's cross to Bishop saw the latter go to ground and miss his headed effort on goal.

Pompey manager John Mousinho was furious when referee Farai Hallam decided to not award a spot-kick.

The hosts took the lead moments later when Todd Cantwell played a pass out wide to Brittain who floated the ball to the back post from the right for Gueye to head back across goal into the far corner.

Portsmouth then appealed for another penalty when Callum Lang appeared to be fouled in the area.

Blackburn responded as the away side were still protesting, going up the other end and scoring through Brittain to double their lead.

The full-back emphatically thumped the ball home after the counter-attack, curling into the top corner before running off in celebration.

Weimann rounded off proceedings with a close-range finish on 76 minutes, sliding to poke the ball into the net after goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid spilled a save into his path.