It was Town who started the brighter as City looked weary and half-interested at times. It looked as if a shock may have been on the cards then,when after 18 minutes, Mick Lennon capitalised on some schoolboy defending from Wayne Thomas to put the put-timers in the lead.
This sparked the Potters into gear and they equalised 5 minutes later through Gifton Noel-Williams, with a sweet low drive past the 'keeper after a good through ball from John Halls.
Town's hopes then began to fade as Stoke turned the screw with Dave Brammer making his mark on the game with some crisp passing. There is some confusion however as to who got the second goal as Clive Clarke struck a shot which certainly took a deflection and Gifton Noel-Williams wheeled away to claim like any good striker(I'll give him the benefit of the doubt here,unless I bump into a certain Irishman that is!)
It was 3-1 and game over before half time after a lovely chipped ball over the defence from Clarke let in Akinbiyi who volleyed past the 'keeper with pleasing confidence.
The second half saw the introduction of a number of subs,although not the full 11 as has been in the past,due to the new Fifa ruling. Two trialists were on show in the form of Dutch defender Curt Elshot who played mainly on the right wing, and Youl Mawene, Derby's player of the season from last year who has today joined up with Leicester City.
Lewis Neal added the 4th and final goal with the finish of the match, a curling shot from the edge of the area.
All in all, this match was no more than a fitness exercise but it was pleasing to see the return of injury hit players as well as the debuts of a very impressive Brammer and Simonsen,who was hardly tested.
Notable absentees however were John Eustace,Carl Asaba and Gerry Taggart. Asaba picked up an injury in training but there will be question marks over Eustace's future in the game if he does not appear soon and Taggart is still worryingly,yet to sign.
Stoke Line-Up:Simonsen, Halls(Elshot), Hall, Thomas, Williams, Brammer(Hill), Russell(Dickinson), Clarke(Mawene), Noel-Williams(Henry), Akinbiyi, Greenacre, Neal.