Former Potters target Demba Ba was gifted his fourth goal in just five appearances after a calamitous Stoke mix-up, bundling home.
Recalled defender Manuel da Costa made it 2-0 when he rose unchallenged at the far post to power home a header from a Thomas Hitzlsperger free-kick.
And it was Hitzlsperger who smashed in a late third. Frederic Piquionne's shot from Scott Parker's cutback was blocked and Hitzlsperger thundered in the rebound.
Stoke had started brightly and could easily have gone ahead when Robert Green tipped over Jon Walters' flicked finish from Rory Delap's low cross.
Source: PA
Source: PA