Fuller earns Stoke victory

Stoke 1 Portsmouth 0:RICARDO FULLER applied a clinical finish to a neat passing move to give Stoke a deserved win over struggling Portsmouth.

The Jamaican’s turn and shot in the 74th minute came after a swift interchange of passes between Matthew Etherington and Dean Whitehead.

Pompey, who lost England goalkeeper David James to injury in the warm up, had earlier missed an eighth-minute penalty from Kevin-Prince Boateng.

Fuller’s strike secured a fourth win in seven matches at the Britannia Stadium – and their first in four games – and also condemned Portsmouth to a 10th defeat of the season.

It could have been so different had Boateng shown more composure from the penalty spot.

Aruna Dindane was caught in the head by Rory Delap’s boot as he went for a high, bouncing ball but Boateng’s penalty was weak and too close to Thomas Sorensen’s, who saved easily.

Stoke looked the more likely side to break the deadlock in the first half and Fuller, Matthew Etherington and James Beattie all went close before the interval.

Jamie O’Hara brought the best save of the game out of Thomas Sorensen in the 52nd minute when his 35-yard drive was tipped around the post at full stretch.

Portsmouth’s best chance since the penalty fell to Dindane in the 64th minute but he hooked a left-foot volley wide from 12 yards with only the goalkeeper to beat.