The Potters added more woe to the Hammers season as they came away from Upton Park with all three points, thanks to a sublime solo goal from Ricardo Fuller.
Fuller had only been on the pitch for a minute when he took on the home defence before firing past Green with twenty minutes remaining.
The game started with the Hammers PA announcer doing his best to keep the fans onside, after their midweek booing in the heavy defeat to Wolves, but the opening stages were all Stoke as Whelan clipped a shot just over as early as the first minute whilst Abdoulaye Faye forcing Green into a fine save just two minutes later, after the Senegalese defender got his head to Etherington's free kick.
Faye continued to be the main threat from set pieces and went close twice more when he headed a Lawrence cross wide and then nodded an Etherington corner at goal, forcing Green into another smart save. That was to be it for the skipper though as he picked up an injury and had to be replaced by Wilkinson, with Higginbotham taking on the captaincy.
It wasn't until the twenty sixth minute that the Hammers had a chance at goal but the ever dependable Higginbotham and Huth combined to squeeze out England hopeful Carlton Cole just as it seemed he was in on goal. Cole did go closer on 33 minutes, but after a quick break left him unmarked in front of goal, he was denied by the alert Sorenson, who darted from his goal to smother the shot. The ball bounced back into Cole and then bobbled wide of the empty net.
Cole showed he had well and truly found his feet just two minutes later when he forced Sorenson into a flying save on 35 minutes. The keeper parried the shot and it fell at the feet of Mido. All the Egyptian striker had to do was roll it into the empty net but he slipped and scewed his shot wide of the post.
After a lengthy spell on the back foot the Potters finished the half strongly with Etherington, Sidibe, Kitson and Whelan all denied in the dying minutes of the game. West Ham made their first change at the break as Dyer was replaced by Diamanti and City soon followed with their second change when Kitson was forced off, and replaced by Tuncay, less than two minutes after the restart.
Turkosh star Tuncay was soon involved and he played in Etherington, who beat his man, before laying the ball back to Tuncay. The striker hit his effort towards goal but Upson was there to block the shot. The game then entered somewhat of a lull, chances wise, as both sides looked to break down dominating defences.
The Potters rolled the dice for the last time on 67 minutes when Etherington was replaced by Fuller and seconds later they saw the dice had come up with a double six. Controlling a high ball dead at his feet, on the edge of the box, the Jamaican turned and faced the defence. Firstly he dummied past Da Costa before cutting inside another defender. Da Costa hadn't gave up but his stray leg was easily avoided by both Fuller and the ball before he easily outfoxed Upson, turning the England centre back inside out. Now on the edge of the sox yard box he looked up and cooly rifled the ball past Green high into the net to break the deadlock.
City thought they had doubled the advantage of 74 minutes but Huth had his headed goal chalked off for a foul on keeper Green. The pressure continued and Tuncay sent in a rasping effort on 77 minutes. Green got down quickly but could only parry it into the danger area, where Higginbotham was racing in. The defender was denied a clinching second though when a last ditch tackle from a defender knocked the ball away.
Stoke seemed to look to hold onto their lead in the final minutes and had to tave off a few nervy moments as Ilan, Da Costa, McCarthy and Parker all came within inches of an equaliser as the clock ticked on.