Cotterill left Pompey in mid-October after 16 turbulent months in charge to succeed Steve McClaren at the City Ground.

But Erik Huseklapp pounced to put Pompey ahead against the run of play on the stroke of half-time, Dave Kitson (76) made it two and Huseklapp's second six minutes from time confirmed Cotterill's misery.

Leaders Southampton surrendered a two-goal lead but rallied to win 4-2 at Coventry.

Richard Chaplow netted for the Saints in the 34th minute and Adam Lallana doubled the lead five minutes later, but Lukas Jutkiewicz got the hosts back into it two minutes into the second period.

Clive Platt's opportunistic strike in the 70th minute pulled the hosts level, but seven minutes later Guly Do Prado put Southampton back into the lead and Steve de Ridder rounded off the scoring five minute from time.

Second-placed West Ham were comfortable 2-0 winners at Hull.

Sam Baldock opened the scoring for the Hammers from close range four minutes after the break and Jack Collison made it 2-0 eight minutes later.

Two second-half goals gave Cardiff a 2-0 win over fellow play-off hopefuls Crystal Palace.

Kenny Miller broke the deadlock in the 69th minute and Peter Whittingham added a second 10 minutes from the end.

New man El-Hadji Diouf fired bottom side Doncaster to a much-needed 3-2 win at Ipswich.

Diouf headed home James Coppinger's cross for his first goal for the club after 18 minutes and Billy Sharp doubled the lead six minutes later.

Diouf grabbed his second six minutes before the break and though substitute Josh Carson pulled one back for Ipswich in the 53rd minute and Michael Chopra netted moments before the end, Doncaster held on.

Rovers remained bottom, though, because Bristol City were 3-1 winners over Burnley.

Stephen Pearson opened the scoring for the hosts three minutes before the break, but just just two minutes after the restart Ross Wallace's volley pulled the visitors level.

Substitute Brett Pitman put City ahead again in the 61st minute and Albert Adomah extended the advantage in the 73rd.

Peterborough came from two goals down to claim a last-gasp 3-2 win over Derby.

Theo Robinson scored in the 28th minute and again four minutes later to leave Derby in charge, but Paul Taylor pulled one back eight minutes before half-time.

Tommy Rowe levelled six minutes into the second period and Grant McCann completed the turnaround in stoppage time.

Kevin Phillips brought a dull game between Blackpool and Millwall to life with an excellent goal in the 61st minute, moments after coming off the bench, to give the Seasiders a 1-0 win.

In the day's late kick-off, Scott McDonald scored the only goal four minutes before half-time as Middlesbrough beat Watford to ensure they finished the day in third ahead of Cardiff.