City kept faith with the side that drew at Everton last time out and they started brightly with the front two forcing set pieces from the start, but the Potters were unable to take advantage the ball just refusing to fall for them on numerous occasions.
The first major chance would arrive on eleven minutes as Collins coolly slid the ball through to Fuller. The Jamaican delightfully backheeled the ball into the path of Etherington, whose burst of speed took him past Faubert, who then brought him down and gave away a penalty. James Beattie stepped up and smashed the ball into the roof of the net to emphatically break his duck for the season and give his side the lead.
Etherington was involved shortly after when he drifted into the middle to collect a pass from Delap. The winger then man at goal before curling an effort towards the far corner. The shot was heading towards the goal before taking a deflection and spinning wide of the near post.
Upson had to go off for treatment when a combination of him ducking his head and a high boot from Shawcross saw a wound opened just by his eye.
Sorenson's first act of the afternoon was to tip over a weak header from Cole, who had gotten away from the clutches of Abdoulaye Faye. The keeper had to be on hand shortly after when Diamanti struck a long range free kick at goal but the Danish stopper was upto the mark.
Fuller was on fire and he fed the ball thorugh to Whitehead but the midfielder was pulled back for a harsh foul on the defender, who seemed to go down very easily.
The game was back level minutes before half time when a corner wasn't dealt with and Upson evaded Faye to nod past Sorenson. The Potters were incensed that a corner was given after the ball had clearly been put out for a throw in but still should have dealt with it better.
Diao had already been booked for a foul on the eccentric Diamanti when Shawcross was shown the yellow card. A minimal amount of contact resulting in the midfielder rolling around and the ref deciding a yellow card offence must have been commited.
West Ham started to dominate possession either side of half time as the hosts failed to settle into any kind of rhythm. Diamanti could indeed have put the Hammers in front at the start of the second half when he curled a 20 yard effort to Sorensons right, forcing the stopper into a diving save but he managed to hold on.
The Potters first 'chance' of the second half arrived a few minutes later as Beattie ghosted in unmarked at the near post but couldn't quite bring down Etherington's free kick and a possible chance was gone. The hitman close to his second shortly after when he flicked the ball inside the full back before curling his shot just over the bar. He did have teammates better placed and should really have teed one of those up for an easier chance.
Stoke were now back on top and Shawcross was twice denied when his header from Etherington's corner was blocked 6-yards out and then the defender threw himself at the ball to follow up but stabbed his effort just wide of the post.
The England prospect was in the thick of the action at the other end straight after when, with Cole played in after drifting between Faye and Collins, he made up an amazing amount of ground to pull out a purely world class tackle and block the England strikers shot when it seemed it was merely a case of Cole v Sorenson.
The game was heating up and the Potters took the lead when Diao dispossessed Diamanti and played a great ball towards Fuller. The Jamaican hitman beat the sliding Upson to the ball before heading for goal. On the edge of the box he smashed the ball across goal and forced Green into a fine save. The keeper couldn't hold onto it though and Beattie, who had run flat out from near halfway, stuck out a foot and beat Faubert to the ball to tap it in from 3 yards.
With the Potters holders of a slender lead the final twenty minutes were going to be nerve wracking and the hosts should have been down to ten men when, after clashing at a set piece, Huth threw an arm at Upson and reopened the wound on his eye. It was missed by the officials and Huth was a very lucky man.
The Potters determination to win was evident when Beattie bust a gut to get in half a cross that was collected by Fuller. The magician held off two defenders and flciked the ball to Lawrence. After initially slipping the winger hustled and bustled the full back before reclaiming the ball and chipping ti to the far post where Etherington rose above the defender but nodded his effort just wide.
With Delap and Diao subbed off Beattie stepped up to launch a long throw into the visitors box. The throw was nodded out to Etherington who teed up Whelan, the Irishman's effort fizzing past the angle of bar and post with Green rooted to his spot.
City were looking strong at the back and Fuller nearly capped off his fine afternoon by twice using his blistering pace and power to run Tomkins ragged, giviing the defender big starts but still beating him to it before just failing to pick out a teammate when he was expected to shoot.
Stoke: Sorenson; Huth, Shawcross, Faye, Collins; Delap(Lawrence 68), Diao(Whelan 78), Whitehead, Etherington; Beattie(Kitson 83), Fuller