JUBILANT James Beattie put one over old Saints team-mate Wayne Bridge to bag the only goal at the Britannia.

Beattie netted for the second successive game to make it two in three appearances since his £2m switch from Sheffield United.

And he couldn’t have scripted more dramatic circumstances in which to claim his second goal for the club after heading home Matthew Etherington’s left-wing cross in first-half injury time.

“I know Matty can produce quality crosses like that,” said the former England striker.

“Without giving too much away about our tactics, we had spoken about playing crosses to the back post to test them out.

“Matty set it up with the cross and I’ve just judged the flight of the ball better than Bridgey did. I thought he was outstanding – he’s a great outlet for us.

“Obviously, I know Bridgey from our time at Southampton, but there was no giving him any gip. I wouldn’t do that to him.”

Beattie’s header now leaves him with 83 Premier League goals and still joking about hitting a ton before the end of the season.

“Yeah, only 17 to go,” he grinned. “As I said when I first came, I always enjoy scoring goals and that’s what I want to do for Stoke. But as nice as it was to score here, the main thing is the three points.”

Beattie fought a lone and selfless role in attack in the second half following Rory Delap’s sending off and Ricardo Fuller’s half-time substitution.

“Yeah, I’m bit tired,” he admitted, “but I knew what it was going to be like. We were playing deep with 11 men, so when Rory was sent off I thought we would be up against it.

“The gaffer said after the game that is what this club is all about. Hopefully, we can now kick on from here, get a few wins and get on a mini run of results.”

Beattie was close to the action when Stoke’s hopes of victory appeared to go up in flames after Delap took the law into his own hands to upend Shaun Wright-Phillips, seconds after the England winger had taken out Etherington, and then kick the ball against the stricken Manchester man.

“I thought it was a bit of petulance on Rory’s behalf,” he observed, “but I didn’t see anything malicious.

“The ref said to me under his breath that he was going. I said why don’t you look at it, but obviously he went ahead anyway.

“He did kick the ball at him, but the ball was already right next to Wright-Phillips and so he couldn’t have hurt him,” he added.