A spirited and gutsy second half performance wasn't enough to see City pull off another comeback against European chasing Everton on Saturday afternoon.

Early strikes from Jo and Joleon Lescott ensured the hosts held a comfortable lead going into the half time interval, however, almost reminiscent to the Aston Villa clash two weeks ago, the Potters threatened turn the game on its head.

Ryan Shawcross' second goal in three games got the second half off to the perfect start, before substitutes Ricardo Fuller and Matthew Etherington were introduced to give the visitors a further boost. However despite several efforts agonisingly drifting wide, it was David Moyes' side who would have the last laugh as Marouane Fellaini fired home a third in stoppage time to secure all three points.

Ahead of the match City boss Tony Pulis retained his faith in the same starting eleven which comfortably disposed of Bolton Wanderers at the Britannia Stadium just ten days prior, despite the return of Etherington from suspension.

The former West Ham star along with leading scorer Jamaican international Fuller were named amongst a strong substitute's bench which also featured on loan Senegal striker Henri Camara and compatriot Amdy Faye.

James Beattie continued up front partnering Mamady Sidibe as he looked to build on his impressive record for the Potters, five goals in seven games, against his former employers, who splashed out a then club record £6 million just over four years ago.

The hosts welcomed Brazilian star Jo back into the fold after he completed a suspension, and he started in attack with the impressive duo of Tim Cahill and Fellaini backing him up. France international Louis Saha did return from injury but was only awarded a place on the bench after Everton boss Moyes decided against throwing him back into the firing line.

With the Toffees hot on the heals of Arsenal and Aston Villa it was no surprise to see them immediately push the visitors back into the own penalty area with Cahill and Fellaini looking extremely dangerous as Moyes' men won an early succession of corners and throw-ins deep in the City half.

The first real effort of the match occurred in the fifth minute when Jo played a superb ball into the path of Belgian international Fellaini who fired an effort goalwards, only for Andy Wilkinson to bravely throw himself in front of the ball to deny the hosts an early goal. Everton's bright start continued moments later as another cute ball into the penalty area was fired over by Leon Osman.

City held firm though and had there own spell in the opposite penalty area, but couldn't find a way through a tight looking Everton backline which had conceded just two goals in the last eight league games on home turf, despite the attempts of Liam Lawrence and the impressive Shawcross.

The opening goal of the game wasn't long in waiting though as a classic counter attack in the 18th minute saw the hosts calve open the City defence before Jo squeezed the ball past Sorensen despite his attempts to deny the on loan Manchester City hit-man.

If one was bad, another goal brought disaster just six minutes later, when England defender Lescott was handed the simplest of tap-ins after City number one Sorensen could only parry Cahill's header straight into his path.

The ascendancy continued to lie with the hosts who looked to kill the game off, however, strikes from skipper Phil Neville and Joseph Yobo failed to test the hands of Sorensen, before the Potters only really meaningful effort of the half fell to former Evertonian Beattie, but his ambitious effort flew over Tim Howard's crossbar.

The half time interval was much welcomed by boss Pulis, and although he made no immediate changes, he most definitely gave his players a stern speaking to as they came out for the second period looking much improved.

The half got off to a dream start when England Under 21 international Shawcross rose to glide home Lawrence's corner from 10-yards to give the visitors a lifeline. And from being a bystander throughout the first half American stopper Howard was soon in the thick of the action as he had to usher his fragile looking backline who were being put under intense pressure by a much more potent looking strike force.

With the influential Cahill making way for Saha during the interval, Everton looked lifeless for periods in the heart of midfield, with Salif Diao and Glenn Whelan taking the game by the scruff of the net. In fact it could have been Whelan who drew the scorelines level midway through the half when he fired an audacious effort just wide before going even closer minutes later when his ferocious drive flew inches over the bar after substitute Fuller sublimely teed him up.

The momentum was firmly with Pulis side and again they went close when Shawcross nipped in at the back post attempting to tap home Danny Higginbotham's flick on only for the ball to narrowly evade the towering defender.

Jamaican international Fuller used his pace to outrun Lescott after Whelan picked him out, but despite finding himself in a perfect position to fire goalwards, he took one touch to many and allowed the big defender the chance to nick the ball from under his feet and scramble it away from any impending danger.

Pulis threw his last two rolls of the dice during the final twenty minutes as he introduced both Etherington and Henri Camara, while Moyes looked to shut up shop by withdrawing Jo and replacing him with the much more defence minded Jack Rodwell.

City's continuing push for an equaliser left gaps for the hosts to exploit, and they twice went close through Steven Pienaar who saw his effort blocked by Sorensen after he spilled Fellaini's powerful effort from long range.

Just as the fourth official announced an additional four minutes at the end of the original 90, the hosts secured all three points through giant midfielder Fellaini, who exquisitely controlled a long punt forward and fired the ball past Sorensen via a deflection off Abdoulaye Faye.

The result means City slip back into the bottom three, however with just three points separating the Potters from 13th placed Tottenham Hotspur, the final nine games of the season promise to throw many more ups and downs as the race for Premier League survival heats up.