Hreidarsson gives Pompey some hope amid the chaos

Starting the day at the foot of the table, their wages for November unpaid by 3 December, and a jobs website advertising around Fratton Park, Portsmouth's players could have been forgiven for starting to look elsewhere for employment – not least, the Championship, which is where most people think they are heading.

Yet this first win under Avram Grant took them above Wolves, at least until Wolves kicked off, and the club's owner found a loan to pay the wages two days ago, meaning there is a glimmer of hope on the south coast.

However, they struggled past Burnley, who have only one point away from home in eight games this season, and their new manager is not apparently injecting the enthusiasm that most new arrivals usually see in their players. Perhaps that is not surprising given the way Grant celebrated Hermann Hreidarsson's opening goal, by not remotely breaking into a smile.

That was not Hreidarsson's first involvement of note, as he won a penalty that never should have been. With 31 minutes gone, the Iceland international controlled the ball, saw Wade Elliott stick out a leg and decided he would fall down. Logically, Kevin-Prince Boateng should have taken the spot-kick, as he had converted one last week against Manchester United. Aruna Dindane, who had already missed one presentable chance, took it instead. The Ivory Coast international saw his weak effort saved by Brian Jensen. The rebound gave Dindane a chance to end his embarrassment but he compounded it with another underpowered effort, a header that Jensen grabbed as if doing a routine exercise on the training ground.

Dindane's overall contribution was less than convincing. He will be part of his country's squad at the World Cup but if the Elephants are to challenge for the quarter-finals or better – or even get through their group, which is the hardest one next summer – Dindane will have to improve. However, his goal six minutes from time did at least go some way to erasing the memory of his penalty, when he met Jamie O'Hara's cross with a powerful downward header.

Fabio Capello said he did not know much about Algeria, one of England's group opponents in South Africa, but watching Pompey will provide him with some information. They have two Algeria internationals in Hassan Yebda and Nadir Belhadj but only the former was in action here, with Yebda's role a discreet holding one on the right of midfield.

It was another African, Nwankwo Kanu, who helped unlock the stalemate. An inspired substitution by Grant, or one borne out by his players doing such a desperately bad job, the Nigerian brought his customary calm and eye for a pass to proceedings, setting up the first goal. Boateng, having a bad day, passed short to Kanu, who picked out Hreidarsson. This time the left-back stayed on his feet and calmly found the far corner with his precise low shot.

Grant praised Kanu, saying: "He is intelligent and in one move he can change the game." Reflecting on a vital victory, he added: "I told them at half-time three points was possible and in the second half we played better."

Burnley could have been two up before Hreidarsson's strike, a fact their manager Owen Coyle bemoaned. "They were soft goals, with the marking for Dindane's something you wouldn't see on the playground," he said. After the interval, the Clarets, through Kevin McDonald then Steven Fletcher, drew outstanding saves from Asmir Begovic with long-range shots although the overall impression is of a team expecting the worst when they leave Turf Moor. That means headaches only every fortnight for Burnley. Every new week seems to bring more trouble for Portsmouth.

Attendance: 17,822

Referee: Phil Dowd

Man of the match: Kanu

Match rating: 5/10