The permutations are still many but, realistically, Stoke have to win at QPR next week and hope at least one of West Brom, Wolves and Southampton do not win.

Pulis said: "It's a fantastic situation to be in and it's going to be a very exciting finale to the season. All we can do is try our utmost to do our job and then see what happens.

"I'm just delighted the team is in form and has a chance. We did look nervous in the first half and Colchester played well but our second-half display was awesome.

"I told the players at half-time that if we could equalise we would win. I knew the supporters would get behind us if we scored and they certainly did that. They were magnificent."

Colchester boss Geraint Williams admitted his team's play-off ambitions were as good as sunk but he said: "They have been a credit all season and I've got nothing but praise for them.

"They are very down at the moment because they thought they should have had more out of the game. We dominated early on and created four good chances but unfortunately we didn't take any of them.

"We eventually got our noses in front but Stoke came at us in the second half. They took their chances and good luck to them."

Colchester were excellent in the early stages and could have been two goals up inside the opening 12 minutes.

Hogan Ephraim was inspired on the left flank and Jamie Cureton and ex-Stoke striker Chris Iwelumo were both denied by the acrobatics of Steve Simonsen.

Stoke finally showed signs of cranking through the gears as Lee Hendrie and the marauding Ricardo Fuller both squandered gilt-edged chances.

But it was Colchester who drew first blood through a controversial penalty seven minutes before the interval.

Salif Diao appeared to play the ball in a challenge on Iwelumo, but referee Graham Salisbury ruled otherwise and Iwelumo made no mistake from the spot.

For all Stoke's grievances, Colchester had deserved their lead, but it was a totally different game after the break.

Darel Russell levelled with a close-range header after Mamady Sidibe had nodded Liam Lawrence's cross into his path in the 53rd minute.

And Lawrence was again the instigator four minutes later, sliding a pass to Sidibe who drilled an 18-yard shot low past Dean Gerken.

Stoke's captain Danny Higginbotham, who was presented with all seven of Stoke's player of the season awards before kick-off, then sealed the win, heading in from point-blank range after the outstanding Fuller had flicked on a Hendrie corner.

Colchester's bad day was complete when defender Chris Barker was shown a straight red card for an alleged elbow on Hendrie 12 minutes from time.