Stoke put their promotion campaign back on track with a 2-1 win over Cardiff at the Britannia Stadium.

The home side, who suffered their first league defeat in 13 league games against Charlton in midweek, opened the scoring thanks to 39th minute own goal from Roger Johnson before a 57th-minute Ricardo Fuller penalty gave them a two-goal advantage.

Striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink pulled one back for the Bluebirds in the 63rd minute but the Stoke defence stood firm for the remainder of the game to help Tony Pulis' side clinch the three points.

Stoke had an early chance to take the lead but midfielder Liam Lawrence, who has eight league goals to his name this season, fired his right-footed effort wide of Michael Oakes' goal.

Despite pressure applied to the Stoke defence Cardiff's only notable chance before the break was Kevin McNaughton's long-range effort on goal which sailed over the crossbar.

Perhaps the best opportunity of the half fell to Mamady Sidibe but the Stoke striker fired straight at Oakes who managed to gather his close range strike comfortably.

Moments later a chance fell to Cardiff midfielder Gavin Rae but his shot from the edge of the box drifted wide of the post.

Stoke goalkeeper Steve Simonsen was made to work by a Hasselbaink shot and Richard Cresswell had a shot blocked by Bluebirds defender Johnson as both sides went in search of an opener.

But in the 39th minute the deadlock was broken when the left boot of Johnson diverted the ball past Oakes and into his own net to hand Stoke a 1-0 lead.

Stoke continued to dominate the game after the half-time interval and made it 2-0 in the 57th minute when Fuller both created and dispatched a penalty after McNaughton brought him down inside the box.

McNaughton was shown a yellow card and Fuller dusted himself down before he slotted the ball past Oakes to claim his 13th goal of the season.

Cardiff got one back in the 63rd minute when when Hasselbaink managed to beat Simonsen to make it 2-1.

A Peter Whittingham free-kick found its way to Hasselbaink via Paul Parry, before the Cardiff striker slammed home from inside the box.

Hasselbaink had a chance to level the scores moments after the re-start but his left-footed strike was saved by Simonsen.

Stoke introduced deadline-day signing Glenn Whelan and continued their assault on the Cardiff goal and Stephen McPhail threw himself in front of a Fuller shot.

Both sides had late chances but neither side managed to convert as McPhail forced Simonsen into a smart stop before Fuller missed a chance to add to his tally in injury time.

Teams:

Stoke Simonsen, Griffin, Pugh, Shawcross, Cort, Lawrence, Cresswell, Diao, Delap, Sidibe (Whelan 82), Fuller.

Subs Not Used: Hoult, Zakuani, Parkin, Gallagher.

Booked: Cresswell.

Goals: Johnson 39 og, Fuller 57 pen.

Cardiff Oakes, McNaughton, Johnson, Loovens, Capaldi, Ledley, Rae, McPhail, Whittingham, Hasselbaink (Thompson 82), Parry.

Subs Not Used: Enckelman, Purse, Ramsey, Blake.

Booked: Rae, McNaughton, Johnson.

Goals: Hasselbaink 63.

Att: 15,045

Ref: Steve Bennett (Kent).