The Potters suffered a rare defeat as, despite a great display, they laced the killer touch and fell victim to a John Carew header.
The game started with both sides knocking the ball around well and although Milner and Dunne put efforts wide it wasn't until Young's shot was parried into the path of Agbonlahor, Sorenson getting up to complete a fine double save, that the deadlock looked like being broken.
Glenn Whelan had a couple of efforts for Stoke that skimmed wide before the Potters had the ball in the net as, on thirty two minutes, Sidibe rose above Warnock to meet Etherington' perfectly flighted ball and smash a header past Friedel only for the referee to somehow find a foul amongst it all and wipe the goal off.
Young nearly put salt in the wound when he clipped in the ball to Carew but the burly front man nodded wide with Higginbotham pressurising. Defender Higginbotham nearly opened the account at the other end, in the last action of the first half, but his header from Etherington's free kick skimmed the bar and flew into the stands.
The second half started with a near miss for either side as Carew brought down a long ball forward on the edge of the six yard box before blasting his effort into the crowd and then Tuncay tricked his way pat three defenders before seeing it all come to nothing as the final ball just evaded the fast approaching Whitehead.
City used that chance to build some momentum and Wilkinson went on what is now becoming a customary run by sprinting half the length of the field before seeing his cross curl past everybody and out for a goal kick and then Whelan send a half volley just over after a corner was knocked into his path.
It was all the more a shock then when the hosts took the lead on the hour mark. Ashley Young curled a beautiful cross towards the six yard box and Carew easily, too easily, brushed aside the half hearted challenge from Faye and nodded past Sorenson from close range.
Stoke now had a mountain to climb but were not going to be overawed and Tuncay's effort needed a late block from Dunne to stop the Turkish star equalling the game up before he was again denied when Luke Young perfectly timed tackle stopped his next shot, when one on one, from beating Freidel.
That seemed to be the last chance for the Potters as Steve Sidwell came on for the hosts and shored up the midfield, going close twice himself, and thwarting the Potters attacks as the only real late chance fell to Ricardo Fuller, who chipped an effort from 25 yards just over the bar after beating Friedel.