Fulham had the last laugh in this season's feud with Stoke by completing a Premier League double over them to edge closer to safety.
Top scorer Clint Dempsey netted his eighth and ninth goals of the season as the Cottagers made it three wins in five to put daylight between themselves and the drop zone.
The match was the third tempestuous affair between the sides this season and Potters captain Ryan Shawcross was sent off after bundling over Dempsey in the box.
The American, who had already given his side a half-time lead, stepped up to convert the resulting penalty and seal a comfortable victory.
The opposing managers had refused to shake hands following their two previous meetings this season.
But Fulham boss Mark Hughes was yesterday keen to end the feud and duly made the first move as he greeted Tony Pulis before the game, and they were again on favourable terms after the game.
The home fans were not so generous, repeatedly jeering Andy Wilkinson for the September tackle on Moussa Dembele that sparked the bad blood.
Pulses were racing from the off today, with Shawcross nodding Matthew Etherington's free-kick inches wide inside five minutes and Damien Duff crashing a terrific 30-yard strike against the crossbar two minutes later.
Danny Murphy was narrowly off target after being invited to shoot from 20 yards before David Stockdale saved Tuncay's low strike from the tightest of angles.
Both sides then began to toil until Duff tried a 22nd-minute curling shot which an unsighted Asmir Begovic palmed behind, before Murphy was booked for a tackle from behind on Dean Whitehead.
Stoke almost scored from the resulting free-kick, with Chris Baird's mistimed clearance falling to Kenwyne Jones, who blasted the ball against the near post.
The febrile home fans were incensed by a number of decisions that went against their side but they were celebrating in the 33rd minute when Dempsey gave them the lead.
Duff pounced on a loose ball as Stoke went to sleep, allowing Andy Johnson to get to the byline and cross for Dempsey to slide home his eighth goal of the season ahead of Wilkinson.
A frustrated Wilkinson was booked two minutes later after needlessly clattering into Johnson on the byline.
Fulham enjoyed the better of the early moments in the second half without really threatening.
Then, in the 55th minute, Dempsey produced a wondrous Dennis Bergkamp-esque piece of control to take Murphy's long ball around Shawcross, who bundled him over to concede a penalty.
Referee Stuart Attwell brandished a red card and Dempsey blasted the penalty straight down the middle.
The 10 men quickly saw a double change, with new signing John Carew and Abdoulaye Faye on for Tuncay and Danny Collins.
Fulham then lost Dickson Etuhu to injury, meaning a debut for Steve Sidwell, with Stoke responding by withdrawing Etherington for Glenn Whelan.
Wilkinson's speculative strike deflected behind off Rory Delap, while Sidwell's more measured effort also took a nick at the other end.
Johnson should have made it 3-0 18 minutes from time but shot straight at Begovic under pressure from Faye, before Delap nearly deflected a mis-hit clearance into his own net.
Zoltan Gera and Rafik Halliche then replaced Dembele - who had been impressive on his first start for more than two months - and Aaron Hughes for the final 15 minutes.
Jones nodded Delap's corner over the top as the visitors made a token effort to set up a tense finish, but they were long since beaten.
Mark Hughes branded himself and Tony Pulis "two daft Welshmen'' as Fulham completed a double over Stoke.
Hughes and Pulis fell out in September over an Andy Wilkinson tackle on Moussa Dembele, refusing to shake hands in that Carling Cup tie or in last month's league game at the Britannia Stadium.
But despite another tempestuous affair between the two sides, the two managers buried the hatchet, pressing the flesh both before and after the Cottagers' 2-0 win.
"We were just two daft Welshmen a couple of weeks ago,'' said Hughes after watching Clint Dempsey's double edge his side closer to safety.
Despite their public reconciliation, there looked to be some needle between their players today but Hughes added: "It was low key in that respect.''
Pulis disputed Shawcross's dismissal, saying: "It looked as though Dempsey was on the way down. Dempsey's a very clever player but, if you're the referee, you give it.
"The disappointing thing for me is they get the penalty, the kid gets sent off, and we lose him for two games. The punishment does not suit the crime there. It's very harsh for the club and for the kid.
"It's not a reckless or poor challenge, or a nasty challenge. But he's missing for two games.''
Pulis added: "He was sent off at Sunderland as well, so he'll miss the (FA) Cup match and Liverpool. We've got six games, five away from home, for the next three weeks.''
Hughes hailed the contribution of Dempsey, saying: "Sometimes you think Clint's not having an impact on the game, but he's had a positive influence in virtually every game he's played, with goals created or scored.
"It was a great finish for the first, and a great touch to create the penalty by himself. He always has a positive impact. Good win today - pretty straightforward in all fairness,'' the Cottagers boss added.
"We got the ball down, played our stuff and got the goals at good times. It was quite comfortable. We just knew we had to get over a period where results didn't quite go for us. We just needed to get key personnel back, firing.
"A great result against Stoke away from home, which really galvanised us, made us understand as a group what we needed to do to win games in this very difficult league.
"From that point onwards, we've shown a lot of great qualities that gives me confidence that will obviously sustain the team.''
The one downside for Hughes was injuries picked up by Dickson Etuhu and Aaron Hughes ahead of Wednesday's trip to Liverpool. "Dickson must be a doubt on Wednesday, with tightness in his hamstring - Aaron too,'' Hughes said.
"We think Dickson might have damaged that hamstring. Aaron had more of a spasm.''
John Carew came off the bench for Stoke and Pulis said of his new striker: "His goalscoring record in the Premier League is excellent.
"Kenwyne (Jones) has great feet and John's as good a target man as there is out there. We've got good options.''
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