Stoke ended a run of four straight Premier League defeats on Saturday with a 3-1 win over struggling Blackburn.
Rory Delap put Stoke ahead in the 28th minute with a header to the far post from Jermaine Pennant's flat free kick, and Glenn Whelan made it 2-0 with a low shot that took two deflections on its way into the net.
Peter Crouch further extended Stoke's lead 14 minutes later following some poor defending by the visitors, who still have not won in the league since their single victory over Arsenal more than two months ago.
Ruben Rochina got a goal back for Blackburn with four minutes remaining.
Rovers manager Steve Kean has now won just six of 34 league matches with the club and, despite signing an improved contract this week, has been widely criticized by fans with the team stranded in the bottom three.
Stoke's first real chance came when a foul on Crouch gave Pennant a free kick on the right. Delap got in front of Gael Givet to divert a glancing header from the kick past goalkeeper Paul Robinson and inside the far post.
Stoke defender Robert Huth headed wide before Etherington picked out Jon Walters in the penalty area. The midfielder laid the ball off for Whelan to drive a 25-meter (yard) shot for his first goal since February 2010.
Crouch wrapped up the win when he converted Marc Wilson's long ball into the Rovers penalty area with a left-footed shot.
When Rovers finally threatened, it was too little too late as Rochina fired home from distance in the 86th.
