Striker Ricardo Fuller applied a clinical finish to a neat passing move to give Stoke a 1-0 victory at home to 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 a calf injury in the warm-up, had earlier missed an eighth-minute penalty from Kevin-Prince Boateng.

The visitors started well and 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 to his left.

After a slow start Stoke had clawed their way into the ascendancy but Matt Etherington delayed his cross too long with players waiting in the middle and was eventually closed out.

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

Fuller's low shot was deflected over his own crossbar by Younes Kaboul, with Robert Huth heading the resulting corner wide.

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

Stoke took the lead with a goal which belied their long-ball reputation. Etherington cut in from the left and exchanged passes with Dean Whitehead before playing the ball up to Fuller, who turned on the edge of the area to curl a shot past Ashdown and into the far corner.

Andy Wilkinson's storming run from his own half almost produced the second only for him to shoot over, but one goal was enough to clinch a tight encounter.