Fuller strike secures 1-0 victory for Stoke

Nov 22, 2009 - 7:03 PM By GEOFF McALLISTER STATS European Football Writer=

LONDON (SE) - Stoke manager Tony Pulis challenged Ricardo Fuller to go on a scoring run after his first Premier League goal of the season led the Potters to a 1-0 win over old club Portsmouth on Sunday.

Jamaica international Fuller finished neatly from the edge of the penalty area 16 minutes from time to pile the pressure on Portsmouth manager Paul Hart.

The visitors \2013 who remain rooted to the bottom of the table \2013 were made to rue Kevin Prince Boateng's early penalty being saved by Thomas Sorensen as they slumped to their tenth league defeat of the season.

Pulis said: "I thought first half that was as poor as we have played, especially at home, and Thomas kept us in with the penalty save.

"We played very well at Wolves and were 2-0 up at half time but ended up drawing and at Hull we led 1-0 and lost so there was a lot of pressure on the players and maybe that was a factor.

"I thought we were much better in the second half and Ricardo scored a good goal.

"It was a good passing move and was the first time really we got good movement. Ricardo is a very streaky player and he could go on a scoring run now."

Goal hero Fuller added: "I needed that goal to get my season started because as a striker you get marked on scoring goals.

"You get no luck in football you have to work hard for it and that is what I did. I was pleased with the finish.

"The most important thing is we have got the three points and that is what it is about week-in week-out."

Portsmouth, who saw goalkeeper David James pull out after injuring his calf in the warm-up, should have taken the lead after only eight minutes.

Rory Delap was penalised for a head-high challenge on Aruna Dindane and Boateng stepped up to take the resulting penalty only to put a weak low shot straight into the arms of a grateful Sorensen.

Neither side mustered another clear-cut chance until Jamie O'Hara's fizzing low drive from outside the penalty area was palmed wide by Sorensen at the start of the second half.

The decisive moment came in the 74th minute when Fuller rounded off an excellent passing move by curling a well-placed right foot shot past James's stand-in Jamie Ashdown.

Portsmouth boss Hart admitted Boateng's penalty miss was the key moment of the game.

Hart said: "At the moment I feel very hard done by. We had a penalty and I expected to score it.

"You can be critical because the goalkeeper has saved it. Kevin is our penalty taker and I think he would also have expected to score.

"After that our goalkeeper has not had a shot to save so we should have come away with something.

"I was comfortable. I thought our defence was excellent, the midfield was superb and overall I thought we were in control.

"It is very hard to be critical of my players because through thick and thin they have tried to win football matches."