After 68 minutes of missed chances and poor execution Ricardo Fuller broke the deadlock when he evaded challenges from Emmerson Boyce, Titus Bramble and Maynor Figueroa to fire past Richard Kingson.

James Beattie headed home Matt Etherington's cross in the 76th minute to clinch Stoke's 10th victory of the season at the Britannia Stadium, form which has ensured they will have a second successive campaign in the top flight.

"We are absolutely delighted to have won here for the supporters, who have been fantastic," said Pulis.

"It has been a difficult week because after we won at Hull we knew we were safe and the relief of having Premier League football next year takes the edge off.

"We wanted the players to enjoy the week but also turn up and have a right crack today.

"I thought Wigan were the better team in the first half and we struggled a little bit to get to terms with the conditions.

"In the second half we had a poor five minutes but after that we gradually got on top."

Pulis also praised Fuller for his persistence to score the opener.

"Ricardo was blocked about four or five times but he finished it with aplomb," he added.

"The first goal was going to be important today and thankfully he scored it and we went on to win the game."

Wigan have now failed to win in 15 of their last 17 Barclays Premier League matches - scoring just nine league goals since the start of the year - and the end of the season cannot come quick enough.

Compounding that problem is that they are now conceding goals having previously been solid at the back.

Manager Steve Bruce felt his side should have had an early penalty when Abdoulaye Faye appeared to foul Paul Scharner but conceded the best team won.

"It wasn't very good. We had a disputed penalty in the first half - I thought it was clear cut but when you are having a run like we are having it goes against you," he said.

"They made it very difficult but the longer it went on I thought they had the cutting edge and I thought the first goal was always going to win it.

"Overall I didn't think we did enough going forward and we got punished at the other end.

"For too long we've relied on our defensive organisation and when you look at the first goal we've had five attempts to tackle him but Fuller is decent.

"He is the difference and he won them the game today. He kept at it, he was determined, he scored a goal and he was a handful."