Pompey's season threatens to fizzle out to a forgettable end after Bury inflicted their third straight defeat.
The Blues went to Gigg Lane all but out of the play-off race but even so fans were hoping they would have enough to overcome the relegated Shakers.
Not so - a below-par performance was summed by up a Bury goal, the only one of the game, that was down to Luke McGee trying to deal with a back pass by dribbling past an onrushing striker.
It was a game of little quality, with Pompey not really pepped up by the return of Oli Hawkins, Connor Ronan, Christian Burgess and Stuart O'Keefe.
The vital goal came on 67 minutes as Matt Kennedy passed back to McGee, he took too long to decide what to do and George Miller seized on the chance to score easily.
Sub Conor Chaplin and Burgess both went close to a late equaliser but it would not come, and news afterwards that various other sides in the play-off race had won did not matter - Pompey had sealed their own fate in all honesty.
Pompey: McGee; Thompson, Burgess, Clarke, Donohue (Haunstrup 63); Lowe, Close, O’Keefe, Ronan (Chaplin 85); Pitman (c), Hawkins (Kennedy 55). Subs not used: Bass, Deslandes, May, Evans
Referee: Andy Haines
Attendance: 4,575 (1,525 Pompey fans)
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