Stoke City vs Stevenage

Match report as Jacob Brown put Stoke ahead inside three minutes; Jamie Reids leveller for Stevenage was immediately cancelled out as Josh Laurent put Stoke ...

We know we've still got a lot of work to do but we're doing our best to get there as quickly as we can." If your fans believe in you, it really is like a 12th man on the pitch at times. He said: "We don't get a penalty for a handball and the referee's excuse is that the hand's by his side. The referee effectively kills the cup tie, but we're very proud of our efforts in the FA Cup. He then watches the replay as we kick off again and he's then told my players that he got it wrong. The Stevenage stopper was busy in the opening period and produced a string of impressive saves to keep the tie within reach.

In-form League Two side Stevenages FA Cup run came to an end on Sunday as they were defeated 3-1 by Stoke City in an entertaining tie.

Reid - scorer of the stoppage time winner at Villa in the third round - prodded over an onrushing Jack Bonham with Wilmot failing to clear. Although the travelling supporters' spirits were not dampened by the early setback, they were indebted to an inspired Taye Ashby-Hammond for keeping the game tight. And despite the tactical tweak, the hosts snatched an early lead with the Kosovo international taking no time at all to adapt to his new surroundings.

Alex Neil is able to name one of his three new signings as Stoke City take on Stevenage in FA Cup at bet365 Stadium.

[Stoke](https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/all-about/stoke-city-fc) boss Alex Neil is switching to a 4-3-3 in perhaps a sign of a new Plan A intention as Celina, who joined on loan from Dijon this week, starts on the left up front next to Jacob Brown and Tyrese Campbell. Jordan Thompson and Will Smallbone join him in the middle. Morgan Fox, Phil Jagielka, Lewis Baker, who started last week, are also subs next to Frank Fielding, Gavin Kilkenny and D'Margio Wright-Phillips. Jack Bonham keeps his place in goal. There is a place on the bench for 17-year-old striker Emre Tezgel, who made his league debut as a sub last weekend, as well as right-back Lewis Macari, who made his Stoke debut in the last round at Hartlepool. There is no starting place yet for cup-tied keeper Matija Sarkic or right-back Ki-Jana Hoever, both signed on loan from Wolves.

ADAM SHERGOLD AT THE BET365 STADIUM: The truth was Stoke should have been well out of sight, with Stevenage indebted to goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond,

Moments later and Stevenage punished Stoke for failing to kill the game off. It looked harsh on Tomkinson, who clearly won the ball before making contract with the man. It had already been a good weekend for Stevenage with the only team above them in League Two, Leyton Orient, losing 1-0 at Tranmere on Saturday. Their fans yelled for handball against Josh Laurent when the ball deflected up onto his arm at close quarters. Neil wouldn’t have been surprised to see his team troubled by the battling qualities Evans has instilled. Alas, it wasn’t to be this time for Steve Evans and his doughty team.

The oldest cup competition in the world, the FA Cup is always a tournament that every club up and down the country want to win. Arsenal are record winners ...

Stevenage fought back from a goal down at Stoke but Josh Laurent's rocket and a controversial penalty saw the Championship side reach the fifth round with a ...

The scent of another upset was in the air. That famous victory was one of the club’s great days. “We needed a moment to settle ourselves down, a moment of quality. “The lads know it’s crap. I’ve told them it’s crap,” Neil said about the defending. But the malleability did not bring fluency. Kudos to the few Stoke fans in attendance. Ashby-Hammond again stood firm to deny Will Smallbone before the break. Ashby-Hammond’s goal-kick was flicked on by Jake Taylor, and Reid was beyond the 40-year-old Phil Jagielka. His early corner brought the opener. It’s a great challenge,” he began furiously. “It’s never a penalty.