Stoke crashed to a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Chester at the Michelin over the weekend in their latest pre-season friendly.

The Potters fielded three trialists in their starting XI and the game started with both teams competing hard but with little being created at either end.

The first opportunity arrived on 11 minutes when Stoke striker Louis Moult was caught in possession halfway inside his own half by a Chester midfielder, who then strode forward before unleashing a shot from 22 yards that needed Matt Cohen to dive in front of to divert the ball away from goal.

Chester were then presented with a golden opportunity three minutes later when Trialist A miskicked a cross from the right and Cohen again had to be alert and throw himself in front of the goalbound effort.

Stoke were starting to be dominated at this point but produced their first opportunity on 16 minutes when Tom Urwin cut out a pass 30 yards from his own goal and dribbled the ball half the length of the field with defenders retreating from the pacey winger before he spread the ball out to the right wing where Moult was waiting.

Moult crossed the ball first time but a stretching defender just managed to reach it and knock it away from an unmarked Urwin who was lurking behind.

Stoke were looking more comfortable now and Andy Nicholls broke from midfield to collect a ball from Trialist C on the edge of the penalty area.

Nicholls attempted to knock the ball past the last defender with his first touch but saw the defender stick a hand out and palm the ball away.

The referee spotted the handball and awarded the Potters a free kick 20 yards out. No action was taken against the player, a result that may have been different had this been a competitive match.

Moult stepped up to take the free kick and curled it around wall but not enough and it sailed just the wrong side of the post.

Chester then created an opportunity to break the stalemate when a free kick was pumped forward and a flick on from the edge of the box saw the ball fall to an unmarked Chester midfielder 10 yards out but he could only head the ball over the bar with just Stoke goalkeeper Dave Parton to beat.

Injury struck the young Potters in the 25^th minute as skipper Salif Diao-Jiminez came off worse in a 50/50 tackle and after lengthy treatment had to be replaced by Rodney McDonald, a substitution that saw Matt Cohen move to right back.

Urwin continued his exciting display with another mazy run when, after collecting a long ball from McDonald, he dribbled the ball 30 yards past 2 players before unleashing a shot that looked likely to trouble the visiting goalkeeper before a last ditch block from the defender cleared the ball away.

Parton was then called into action and produced a fine save low at his near post after a stinging shot from Chester's left winger following a great run down the wing.

The game had now well and truly burst into life and swung from one end to the other as both sides looked to grab a goal to take into half time, and Trialist B nearly provided the ammunition for the Potters as he took on 2 defenders and got to the by-line before being brought down as he looked to see who to pick out in the area.

Trialist B again got it the thick of the action on 39 minutes when he collected a clever pass by Nicholls, who had pulled in 3 defenders to give the winger the space he craved, swung a dangerous cross into the penalty area that was hastily headed behind for a Stoke corner.

The last major action of the first half could have seen the visitors take the lead when McDonald miscued an attempted clearance and the ball fell invitingly to the Chester forward but just as he was about to pull the trigger Ryan Connor, who had spotted the danger, flung into a full bloodied challenge that saw the ball fly away from goal and the chance was gone.

The Potters made three changes at half time with Alexander, Vickers and Yilmaz, who took the captains armband, replacing Moult, Urwin and Trialist A.

Trialist B continued to impress at the start of the second half and he went on another forging run taking on two defenders before being scythed down as the visitors defence struggled to contain him.

The Potters were controlling the game and it looked like the breakthrough had arrived when Adam Vickers robbed the Chester centre back of the ball just outside the penalty area but, as Vickers glided past the aforementioned defender, he was pulled back and the Potters had to settle for a free kick.

No further action was taken by the referee again, a decision probably based around the status of the match.

The visitors hit back just before the hour mark as a corner was swung in and after striking Warwick Alexander on the knee it fell to a Chester player 6 yards out and he turned and lashed the ball home to break the deadlock and give his side the lead.

Adam Vickers looked impressive during his second half stint and he was causing numerous problems for the visitors most notably on 65 minutes when he dribbled the ball past 2 defenders before spotting a run from Yilmaz and feeding the ball to him.

Yilmaz took it in his stride before floating it towards Alexander who controlled the ball and struck it into the side netting from 12 yards as the Potters continued to prod around in hope of an equaliser.

Vickers was again at the forefront of the Potters next attack on 69 minutes when he ran at the defence, who had now decided to back off the City striker, and then fed Trialist C who, after seeing the keeper sprint out to meet him, knocked the ball past him and drilled it across goal from a tight angle with Alexander sliding in to the goalmouth only to miss connecting with the ball by millimetres.

The game was decided in the 75^th minute as a deep cross was fumbled by the goalkeeper leaving the visitors right winger with the simple task of picking out his team-mate standing in front of goal all alone to tap the ball in from 2 yards.

The last quarter of an hour saw the tempo drop as both teams tired with the only remaining action to comment on being Adam Vickers' glancing header wide from Trialist C cross in the dying minutes.

Stoke 1^st half (4-4-2): Parton, Diao-Jiminez (C) (McDonald 25), Connor, Trialist A, Cohen, Trialist B, Urwin, Stockwell, Nicholls, Moult, Trialist C.

Stoke 2^nd half (4-4-2): Parton, Stockwell, Connor, McDonald, Cohen, Trialist C, Trialist B, Yilmaz(C), Nicholls, Alexander, Vickers.

By Dan Buxton