Robert Huth’s injury-time goal stole victory over Aston Villa as Stoke’s persistence was rewarded with their first points of the season.

The German defender diverted Matthew Etherington’s scuffed effort past Brad Friedel to spark wild celebrations.

The hosts’ bright start had been negated by Stewart Downing’s precise header from Gabriel Agbonlahor’s cross.

But Kenwyne Jones nodded in to level, and Ricardo Fuller went close before Huth’s dramatic late strike.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis was delighted as the winner went in for his side’s first win of the season.

And his presence was particularly welcomed by the Stoke fans given that he was expected to miss the match after the death of his mother earlier in the day.

Pulis took his place on the bench in the second half, which was more than his opposite number, new Villa manager Gerard Houllier, who was unable to take charge because of his ongoing contract release negotiations with the French Football Federation.

So Kevin MacDonald’s caretaker period continued with third place a possibility for his side before kick-off.

Stoke’s contrasting start to the season had seen them fail to register a point in their first three games, but record signing Jones, in search of his first goal since joining from Sunderland, was immediately involved.

The £8m summer buy was a menacing early presence and Stephen Warnock’s concentration was required to clear Etherington’s cross from his path after only 30 seconds.

The striker squandered a one-on-one from Marc Wilson’s fine through ball in the best of three early chances, before directing a header over the bar and thumping a long-range shot too close to Friedel.

Wild efforts from Downing and Marc Albrighton had been the limit of Villa’s attacking threat as they initially looked ruffled by Stoke’s energetic opening.

But 10 minutes from the break, Agbonlahor’s curling cross cleared a rooted Huth for Downing to plant a diving header back across Thomas Sorensen and into the bottom corner of the net.

Referee Lee Probert turned down appeals for a penalty as James Collins appeared to handle under pressure from Jones, but the hosts were only spared slipping two goals behind by Ashley Young’s wastefulness at the other end.

Another excellent cross from Agbonlahor, from the left flank on this occasion, picked out the winger but he contrived to glance his header wide as the goal gaped in front of him.

The half ended with Villa clearly on top and Sorensen denied James Collins and Downing in quick succession before Ashley Young’s cross skirted perilously across the face of his goal.

Pulis took his place on the sidelines after the break and saw Jones warm Friedel’s palms with a sharp header from an acute angle.

He summoned Fuller and Jermaine Pennant from the bench, and may have been tempted to make changes at the back after seeing Huth and Sorensen’s indecision almost allow Nigel Reo-Coker in.

Sorensen was then briefly troubled by an Albrighton snap shot that squirmed from his grasp, but with Downing’s effort the only difference between the sides Villa never looked entirely secure and were made to pay.

Jones’ industry was finally rewarded after Etherington followed up his own blocked shot and dug out a far-post cross that the Trinidad and Tobago forward nodded past a helpless Friedel ahead of Richard Dunne.

A enthralling last ten minutes followed as the match teetered in the balance.

Reo-Coker saw a shot snuffed out by Danny Collins after a perceptive square ball from Agbonlahor at one end, before Fuller tricked his way past James Collins and tested Friedel with a solid shot at the other.

But in the last of three minutes of injury time, Villa failed to clear Pennant’s free-kick and Huth’s reflexes were fast enough to steer home as Etherington’s effort flashed past.