The only goal of the game came from the penalty spot after the ball was handled in the area by a Sion defender, Matty Etherington stepped up to take the kick and made no mistake.
With the Potters one up at half time, Tony Pulis changed nine players for the second half and it was one of those, Cameron Jerome who came closest to adding a second goal when he curled an effort that was well saved by the keeper.
Dave Kemp said: "The players have trained very hard. It is a week since we came back and they have been non-stop since then. Even on the day of this game they were training at 7am.
"The work rate they have put in was first class so I am very pleased with them."
Stoke: Begovic (Sorensen, 46), Shotton (Delap, 75), Shawcross (Huth, 48), Upson (Collins, 48) Wilson (Higginbotham, 48), Delap (Wilkinson, 48), Palacios (Tonge, 51) Whitehead (Arismendi, 51), Etherington (Pennant, 46), Jones (Whitehead, 71), Crouch (Jerome, 51).