Perhaps Stoke City’s supporters should amend their adopted Tom Jones anthem from Delilah to Green Green Grass Of Home, for this unforgiving venue is proving the difference in Tony Pulis’s efforts to ensure that his record of never being relegated as a manager remains untarnished.

The club’s seven victories this season have all come at the Britannia Stadium, and James Beattie’s fifth goal in six games and Ricardo Fuller’s 72nd-minute finish were enough to beat Bolton Wanderers and inch Stoke out of the relegation zone. Only Manchester United, Chelsea and Everton have emerged with three points at Stoke and The Potteries side still have vital home fixtures against Middlesbrough, Newcastle and Blackburn.

Without an away victory all season, the pressure is on Stoke to win on home turf. “We’ve just got to make sure we prepare for every game the right way and give it our best shot,” said Pulis, the manager. “It’s a smashing result and we’re delighted to move out the bottom three, but there’s still lots of football to be played.”

Pulis and Gary Megson, the Bolton manager, are both carved from the same granite and there was something to be admired about this contest, a reminder of simpler times. Two honest teams with a strong work ethic going hammer and tongs at each other has been lost in the glamour of the Barclays Premier League, but this would have been manna from heaven for two managers firmly from the old school.

Rory Delap returned after suspension, complete with gargantuan throw, and a couple of early Exocets unsettled Bolton nerves, but it was an even simpler method that broke the deadlock in the thirteenth minute. Glenn Whelan’s headed pass found a gaping hole in the visiting team’s defence and Beattie raced clear before beating Jussi Jaaskelainen confidently.

Matthew Taylor, the Bolton midfield player, forced a sprawling save from Thomas Sorensen with a swirling 20-yard free kick shortly before half-time and the visiting team began the second period with greater purpose, although they failed to capitalise on momentary Stoke apprehension.

Stoke introduced Fuller just before the hour and he duly secured the points 18 minutes from time, arrowing the ball home after Jaaskelainen had parried Whelan’s drive, and Bolton were grateful for the final whistle.

Megson said: “It surprised me when I saw the betting for getting relegated — and we weren’t in it. We are in trouble, just not as deep as some others. If we were not to win any more games, we would struggle, so our own home form needs to stay strong.”

Stoke City (4-4-2): T Sorensen — A Wilkinson (sub: I Sonko, 72), R Shawcross, Abdoulaye Faye, D Higginbotham — L Lawrence, G Whelan, S Diao (sub: Amdy Faye, 66), R Delap — J Beattie, M Sidibe (sub: R Fuller, 56). Substitutes not used: S Simonsen, D Pugh, M Tonge, H Camara. Booked: Wilkinson, Lawrence.

Bolton Wanderers (4-4-2): J Jaaskelainen — G Steinsson (sub: A Makukula, 80) G Cahill, A O’Brien, J Samuel — M Davies, F Muamba (sub: R Gardner, 64), G McCann, M Taylor — J Elmander, K Davies. Substitutes not used: A Al Habsi, E Smolarek, S Puygrenier, D Shittu, C Basham. Booked: O’Brien.

Referee: M Dean.