Ricardo Fuller netted his first Premier League goal of the season to give Stoke a narrow 1-0 win over Portsmouth at the Britannia Stadium.

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The Jamaican's well-taken goal on 74 minutes proved the difference between the two sides after Kevin-Prince Boateng had missed an early penalty for Portsmouth.

Victory for Stoke saw them leapfrog Burnley into ninth place, while Pompey remain rooted to the bottom of the table, three points adrift of Wolves in 19th.

The day started badly for Portsmouth boss Paul Hart, who was handed an unplanned, and unwanted, problem prior to kick-off when David James picked up an injury in the warm-up.

Jamie Ashdown deputised for the England keeper, but the stand-in was given a relatively easy ride and had little to do for much of the game.

Pompey enjoyed the better of a disappointing opening period as Stoke struggled to stamp any kind of authority on the game; even Rory Delap's usually dangerous long throws failed to cause any real concern for the visitors' back line.

The home crowd grew ever more agitated with their side's performance as the first half wore on and Tony Pulis's side were eventually booed off at the break.

Those boos would have rang out even louder had Pompey not passed up a glorious chance to take an early lead with just eight minutes on the clock, when Delap brought down Aruna Dindane in the box and referee Kevin Friend pointed to the spot.

Boateng, enjoying a new lease of life at Portsmouth, stepped up but his kick was weak and Thomas Sorensen was able to make a comfortable save.

Jamie O'Hara and Dindane both went close after the break but Boateng's miss was to prove costly, as Stoke grew in confidence as the second period progressed.

Robert Huth had signalled their intent nine minutes after the restart with a purposeful header that went over the bar before Fuller did manage to find the target 20 minutes later.

It stemmed from a lovely passing combination by Stoke - their first fluent move of the game - that was matched by the finish from Fuller, who controlled, turned and fired past Ashdown in one swift movement.

A goal down and Pompey were forced into pouring forward in search of an equaliser and, inevitably, cracks appeared at the back as they did so.

The hosts could have killed the game three minutes after the goal went in, substitute Mamady Sidibe wastefully dragging a shot wide of the mark when played through on goal.

Andy Wilkinson also went close to a second, the full-back firing inches over the bar following a barnstorming run to which the bemused Marc Wilson had no answer.

At the other end, for all Pompey's late huffing and puffing, they could not find a way through. Younes Kaboul went closest to grabbing a point that few would have begrudged Pompey with a free-kick in the last minute, but Sorensen was there to make another crucial intervention.