City's Academy side secured a deserved point as an injury time goal from Warwick Alexander saved the Potters from defeat against the Toffees.

The game started at a frantic pace with both sides forcing a couple of corners in the opening exchanges, Stoke keeper Tom Harrison being forced into a fine save low to his right at one end with Alexander spinning his marker before drilling a low shot straight at the keeper at the other.

Alexander set up Tom Urwin with a great flick on, in the 23rd minute, but the winger miscued his effort and it bobbled harmlessly wide,

The game settled down and mainly became a midfield battle for the remainder of the half with Alexander going close from the edge of the box for the hosts and Everton heading a free kick from the corner of the area over the bar.

Right on half time the Potters should have taken the lead when Louis Moult was put clear but, as he tried to knock the ball past the keeper the two collided, and the loose ball rolled to Urwin, 30 yards out, who decided to shoot first time, but got too much on it and it sailed over the bar.

In the second half, City showed their intent from the kick off where crisp passing presented Moult with space to shoot but his 25-yard effort was smothered by the keeper.

Everton then struck the opening goal after 49 minutes as a free kick from the right wing was curled in to the Potters box and was met by an Evertonian, timing his run to perfection, who delivered a bullet header across the keeper and into the far corner of the goal, leaving Harrison with no chance.

The young Potters immediately tried to get themselves back on terms and a bursting run by Moult attracted the centre backs before he played in the now unmarked Vickers, who had pushed up front following the visitors goal. The young striker took a touch but then saw the keeper get down and save his low shot from 12 yards.

Andy Nicholls was next to burst through for Stoke, beating two defenders down the left wing, before pulling back to Alexander, 15 yards out, but he got the ball caught under his feet and the defenders managed to clear it away.

Alexander continued his fine build up work, flicking the ball into the path of Urwin who then produced a rocket shot that was bravely blocked away by an Everton defender as it headed for goal.

The Potters continued to press and Moult again carried the ball forward before pushing it through to Vickers, but the defender was alert and managed to shepherd the ball back to his keeper before the City striker did get a sight of goal two minutes alter as he collected Ryan Connor's fine 40-yard pass and chipped the ball past the advancing keeper, only to see it drift agonisingly wide of the far post.

Everton regrouped and started to win some of the balls in the midfield, maybe due to the fact the Potters had to abandon their 4-3-1-2 and revert back to 4-4-2 after a leg injury to Vickers saw his replaced with winger Yusuf Yilmaz.

Urwin went close for the Potters as the final ten minutes approached when he raced onto Nathaniel Wedderburn's through ball and dribbled 15 yards before smacking the ball across the keeper but just the wrong side of the post.

Everton nearly sealed the win with 8 minutes left but pressure from Matt Cohen and Harrison saw the Everton striker lift his shot, from close range, over the bar.

The Potters continued to prod away for an equaliser and it finally arrived as the game ticket into added time when Alexander rose highest at a corner and bundled the ball over the line, the keeper unable to do anything but palm it into the roof of the net, as the City hitman collected his 4th of the season.

The visitors nearly broke the Potters hearts barely 60 seconds later as a ball thrown into the box was allowed to bounce in the 6 yard box and all but one player on the field stood and watched, but the Everton player who was first to it sliced his shot horribly wide, much to the relief of the Potters.

CITY (4-4-2): T. Harrison; Diao-Jiminez, Connor, Cohen, McDonald; Urwin, Vickers(Yilmaz 76), Wedderburn, Nicholls; Moult, Alexander.