Andy Griffin's second-half rocket earned Stoke their third win in a row on home turf after holding off a late Coventry charge with just ten men.
With only a slender lead to defend Ricardo Fuller left his side in the lurch when a rush of blood, and a wild swing, on the 63rd minute earned him an early bath.
A thick blanket of fog descended onto the Britannia Stadium playing surface after only 15 minutes and triggered the home side into action.
Neither side had taken aim until Ricardo Fuller mugged Elliott Ward on the right flank prompting Robert Page in to action to divert the industrious striker's goal-bound drive.
The travelling contingent's nerves were spared after the early scare because, as the conditions deteriorated, so did City's shooting.
Fuller seemed to be suffering the most from the lack of a visible target to aim at, at least that should be his defence, after spurning a hatful of golden opportunities.
The Jamaica international somehow navigated a route through in the 24th minute but then ballooned the resulting shot before making a hash of an absolute sitter.
Carl Hoefkens' low centre somehow made its way through a packed box leaving Andy Marshall and his gaping goal at Fuller's mercy - but the City man first slipped and then lifted his shot into the stand.
As the conditions improved after the break so did the standard of football and, on the hour-mark, came a contender for goal-of-the-season from the most unlikely boot.
Potters full-back Griffin latched onto Lee Hendrie's throw-in before arrowing the cleanest of strikes beyond Marshall's despairing palm into the top right-hand corner of the net.
But, just as Stoke began to turn the screw, their lead was plunged into jeopardy thanks to Fuller's left arm. The striker had just collected Hoefkens' shot, which had ricocheted back off the bar, when he swung a petulant elbow at Page's temple prompting referee Carl Boyeson's third red-card this term.
Stoke saw off a 17-minute onslaught from the previously quiet visitors and could have doubled their tally when Vincent Pericard was put clean through.
But the substitute, having galloped from the halfway line, mustered a tame effort which was palmed round the post by the Coventry shot-stopper.