Stoke reserves overcome Robins

Carl Dickinson was the only member of Saturday's starting eleven to be given the nod as Tony Pulis put the Potters' second string on the field and they managed to achieve what few Stoke teams have done over the past decade and progress through to the third round of the Carling Cup.

Vincent Pericard and Jon Parkin featured up front and Steve Simonsen was back between the sticks. Although the Potters dominated the match, it took until the second half before we could break the deadlock.

The breakthrough came shortly after the restart, Glenn Whelan curled in a free-kick (51 minutes) and three minutes later Richard Cresswell's run down the middle of the park culminated in his first goal of the season.

To the Robins' credit they never gave up and immediately got a goal back from Vincent, but Jon Parkin then restored the visitors' two goal advantage with a fierce shot with just 14 minutes remaining.

The home side pegged Stoke back again with a goal from Russell deep into added on time, but it was too late to trouble the Potters and they progress to the third round for the first time since 2000, whilst West Brom, Bolton and Hull all crashed out to lower league opposition.

Cheltenham Town: Higgs, Jeremy Gill, Townsend, Duff (Gallinagh 61), Wright, Armstrong, Lindegaard, Ben Gill (Caines 79), Russell, Vincent (Ledgister 88), Connor
Subs not used: Scott P Brown, Ridley, Watkins, Emery

Stoke City: Simonsen, Wilkinson (Shotton 90), Buxton, Shawcross, Dickinson (Demar Phillips 79), Cresswell, Diao (Matteo 75), Whelan, Pugh, Parkin, Pericard
Subs not used: De Laet, Jimmy Phillips, Wedderburn

With Stoke fielding almost a reserve team, you have to wonder how many will still be Stoke players by this time next week as it was more of a shop window for any interested clubs, but Richard Cresswell and Salif Diao stood out from the rest, although Jon Parkin also took his goal well.

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