World NewsFuller Relief After Goal |
Ricardo Fuller's first Barclays Premier League goal of the season thrust Stoke into the top half of the table and kept Portsmouth rooted to the bottom.
Fuller's second-half strike was the only goal of the game at the Britannia Stadium and came after Kevin-Prince Boateng missed an early penalty."I needed that goal to get my season started in terms of scoring," said Fuller. "As a striker you get marked on scoring goals. It was a good plus for me and for the team as well.
"I did what I needed to do, turned nicely and put the ball past the keeper and into the back of the net."
Danish goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen kept out Boateng's spot-kick to preserve parity in an otherwise dull first 45 minutes.
"I have got statistics on penalties and have my theories about it but I am not going to share them," said Sorensen. "I was delighted with it and it came at a crucial time for us at 0-0."
The blustery conditions restricted the match as a spectacle and Sorensen admitted: "It was very difficult.
"It was very windy but with this man (Fuller) up front it just takes one moment of brilliance. That's what we needed on the day. We can't say that we played well but we got the win."
Portsmouth have now lost 10 of their 13 league matches this season.
But Pompey manager Paul Hart attempted to put a brave face following the latest reverse.
"At the moment I feel very hard done by," Hart told Sky Sports. "Then again we had a penalty and you would expect to score it.
"I don't think our goalie has had a shot to save, so we have to say we should have come out with something.
"I couldn't see Stoke scoring. I was comfortable.
"The defenders were excellent, the midfielders were superb. We could have perhaps created a bit more in the last third, around the box, but 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."
Copyright (c) 2009 Press Association
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