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By Phil Dawkes
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 Beattie fired in his fifth Stoke goal to set the Potters on course for victory
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Relegation-threatened Stoke overcame snowy conditions and a committed Bolton side to record only their second win in 14 games in this full-blooded contest.
A poor clearance from Wanderers' Andy O'Brien allowed Stoke's Glenn Whelan to head James Beattie clear to fire in.
Ricardo Fuller grabbed the second, following up a parry by Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen from a Whelan shot.
Bolton battled but created little until Johan Elmander drew a smart save from Stoke keeper Thomas Sorenson late on.
Both Bolton and Stoke have unapologetically relied upon a hard-working, physical approach this season to varying degrees of success.
The pre-match predictions of an old-fashioned British battle proved an apt summary as rare passages of composure and control were drowned out by a committed midfield melee and percentage-playing long balls.
It quickly became apparent that concentration would be paramount for defenders in the face of the physical threat of Beattie for Stoke and Bolton's Kevin Davies, playing his 200th game for the club.
The visitor's task was made even harder by the returning Rory Delap, who on numerous occasions caused panic in the Bolton box with his long throw-ins.
It was Bolton's back-line who lapsed first in the 13th minute and they paid the ultimate price for it.
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606: DEBATE
Nightharvest
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Cahill and O'Brien allowed a deep long ball to bounce and the latter's weak clearing header was returned with purpose by the head of Whelan to set Beattie racing clear and he finished with aplomb.
The goal sent a sold-out Britannia Stadium into a delirium that not even the swirling snow could temper.
Bolton toiled hard to regain parity but met with spirited opposition intent not to give an inch.
The visitors relied largely on free-kicks from Matthew Taylor, and later Mark Davies, but on every occasion the impressive Sorenson proved equal to them.
Fuller had impressed as a substitute against Aston Villa and he again came off the bench to great effect here to provide Stoke with the breathing space their energetic performance deserved with 18 minutes remaining.
A typical Delap missile was cleared but only to the lurking Whelan whose 25-yard strike was parried by Jaaskelainen, but the big Jamaican was lurking 10 yards out to fire into the roof of the net.
Stoke could have enjoyed a more relaxing end to the game had Ibrahima Sonko scored with a header that struck the bar, or if Jaaskelainen had not saved well from Liam Lawrence.
Instead, Bolton's late pressure, resulting in Elmander's volley drawing a good save from Sorenson, meant the home fans had to wait until injury time to fully commit to the chants predicting success in their battle against the drop.
Stoke: Sorensen, Wilkinson (Sonko 72), Shawcross, Abdoulaye Faye, Higginbotham, Lawrence, Whelan, Diao (Amdy Faye 66), Delap, Sidibe (Fuller 56), Beattie.
Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Pugh, Tonge, Camara.
Booked: Wilkinson, Lawrence.
Goals: Beattie 14, Fuller 73.
Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson (Makukula 80), Cahill, Andrew O'Brien, Samuel, Mark Davies, Muamba (Gardner 64), McCann, Taylor, Kevin Davies, Elmander.
Subs Not Used: Al Habsi, Shittu, Smolarek, Puygrenier, Basham.
Booked: Andrew O'Brien.
Att: 26,319
Ref: Mike Dean (Wirral).
BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Stoke City's James Beattie with 8.78 (on 90 minutes).
Please note that you can still give the players marks out of 10 on BBC Sport's Player Rater after the match has finished.
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