What a match! A stereotypical cup game where both sides had it won but it took an injury time strike from Andy Griffin to seperate the sides.
Blackpool took the lead before half time through David Vaughan, and doubled their lead shortly after the interval through Billy Clarke. The Potters hit back in the last quarter of an hour through goals from Danny Higginbotham, Matthew Etherington and Ricardo Fuller, all within a five minute spell, before Ben Burgess levelled things up again sixty seconds later. The game looked to be heading for extra time until Andy Griffin's goal, six minutes into injury time, gave the Potters, who had been reduced to ten men through injury, the victory.
Stoke made eleven changes from Saturdays side as Wilkinson returned from illness, Tuncay started in a Stoke shirt for the first time and Uruguayan Diego Arismendi made his debut.
The first half was a half of few chances as the sides failed to get into a rhythm. That said Cort, Beattie and Arismendi were all inches away from connecting with crosses in front of goal all in the first ten minutes.
Lawrence was looking to impress manager Tony Pulis ahead of Saturdays clash with Manchester United and he skimmed the bar in the 17th minute with a curling shot after cutting in from the wing.
The goal scoring midfielder thought he was in again minutes later but the offside flag went up as he raced onto Beattie's flick. Tuncay was next to be flahgged after a delicate chip from Arismendi put the Turkish star one-on-one with the keeper whilst Simonsen pounced on a loose ball after a spell of pinball in the area.
The visitors came more into the game around the half hour mark and on loan Thomas drilled wide before Charlie Adam put his shot narrowly over the bar from inside his own half.
Thomas was involved again shortly after when he was left unmarked at the far post. He headed across goal and Simonsen had to be alert and palm the ball behind as Clarke waited to pounce. City broke shortly after and Arismendi produced a wonderful 50-yard pass to Lawrence. The Irish international raced in on goal but shot weakly and the keeper had an easy save, much to the wingers visible frustration.
The Seasiders were knocking the ball around well and another good move resulted in the opener as Vaughan played a one-two with Clarke before advancing unmarked and firing into the bottom corner of Simonsens goal from 25 yards.
The start of the second half saw the Potters fall further behind as, after tipping a Clarke shot round the post, Simonsen was beaten from the resulting corner when Clarke rose unmarked to direct his header inside the far post.
Griffin showed a sign of things to come when he burst forward. He carried the ball half the length of the pitch before sliding into Tuncay. The full back then collected the return pass before a perfectly timed slide tackle put the ball behind for a corner.
City were awarded a penalty in the 55th minute when Lawrence sent a raking 50 yard pass perfectly into the run of Tuncay, who controlled the ball before being fouled by a duo of defenders leaving the referee no choice but to award the spot kick. Lawrence fought off competition from Beattie and Tuncay to take the penalty but the keeper guessed right and pushed the effort away to safety.
City pushed further and further forward and Beattie went close while Tuncay's free kick was too hot for the keeper to handle and he pushed it away. Beattie was then put through just after the hour mark but he decided to chip the keeper and the ball landed on the roof of the net, when it really should have burst the back of it.
The 64th minute saw the introduction of Fuller and Etherington, and the pair would prove key to the goal frenzy ending. Both had already had dazzling runs come to nothing, Fuller squared for Wilkinson to shoot straight at the keeper and Etherington rolled the ball to Tuncay who produced an identical effort to Beattie's miss 10 minute previous, when the first Potters goal arrived. Etherington swung in a corner and Higginbotham timed his run right to bury his header past the keeper to get the Potters back in the game.
Three minutes later the scores were level as, after a sublime back heel from Tuncay, Lawrence's cross was deflected high in the air. After a quick glance at his options Tuncay headed the ball across the 6-yard box where Etherington stormed in front of the full back and diverted the ball into the top corner with the outside of his boot.
The Brit was rocking and the fans were celebrating once again sixty seconds later as Fuller broke forward. The Jamaican laid the ball into Tuncay who, with the keeper out to meet him, rolled the ball back to last seasons top scorer. Fuller rolled the ball into the net before celebrating by picking up the Turkish striker over his head.
City were thinking of how many more they could score and that could be what let Blackpool back in the game as, barely a minute after the restart, Burgess rose highest to meet a cross and direct his header into the far corner of the net.
Ten minutes remained for either side to stop the fast approaching half hour extra time and the Potters hopes were dealt a blow when Fuller had to leave the field after pulling up with a groin strain. City had used all their subs and so had to play the remainder of the match with 10 men.
They may have only had ten men but the Potters still pressed and after Pugh and Tonge had forced the keeper into fine saves, Griffin scored a sizzling winner, six mminutes into injury time, to take the Potters through. After dispossessing the winger midway in the Blackpool half he burst through a gap and fired across the keeper from just inside the penalty area. The keeper got a hand to it but couldn't push it round the post and the Britannia erupted.
Stoke(4-4-2) Simonsen; Wilkinson, Griffin, Higginbotham, Cort; Lawrence, Soares(Etherington 64), Pugh, Arismendi(Tonge 46); Tuncay, Beattie(Fuller 64)