Aiyegbeni Yakubu scored a hat-trick in a night of high drama when Harry Redknapp's side finally got off the mark for their first win of the season.

After 19 minutes, Portsmouth were ahead. Yakubu ran into the box and came up against Zat Knight but the ball cannoned across the edge of the box to Eyal Berkovic who hit an inspirational volley just inside the right hand post.

Just three minutes later, Yakubu got Pompey's second through a penalty which he converted via the crossbar.

Portsmouth went three goals up inside the first half hour.

Fuller got past Alain Goma on the edge of the box before feeding Yakubu on the left of the area and he made no mistake with a rasping shot.

Fulham were clearly prepared to battle back and by the break they had clawed back two goals.

Boa Morte floated in a cross from the left and Andy Cole brilliantly made space for himself at the far post and fired a looping header past Pompey keeper Hislop in the 39th minute.

Then Boa Morte got on to the scoresheet two minutes later after shooting under the body of Hislop.

midway through the second half Yakubu completed his hat-trick. Berkovic turned on the edge of the box and found Yakubu who stroked the ball home low to van der Sar's left in the 72nd minute.

Fulham pulled a goal back to trail 4-3 with a quarter-hour left. Boa Morte fired in a freekick from the left and Carlos Bocanegra got past Berkovic at the far post to score his first goal for the club from close in.