NANTWICH TOWN 2 (Carter 31, Lennon 65)
STOKE CITY 0
The Potters started pre-season with a defeat after losing by two goals to nil against Nantwich Town today.
Goals either side of the half-time whistle were accompanied by only a few chances in a game short of goalmouth action.
With the first team squad's duties split between Nantwich and Newcastle Town, it was Director of Football John Rudge and First Team Coach Mark O'Connor who were in charge at the Weaver Stadium.
Their team included a back four of Club Captain Andy Griffin, Ryan Shawcross, Danny Higginbotham and Ibrahima Sonko.
Liam Lawrence took up his usual spot out on the right side of midfield while Nathaniel Wedderburn was on the left and Andrew Davies and Danny Pugh in the centre.
Richard Cresswell was partnered up front by Michael Tonge, who played in a withdrawn role just behind.
It was the hosts who had the first chance of the game, however, when Omar Mahmood did well down the right before centring for Dave McPherson.
McPherson struck a shot hard and low but Steve Simonsen dived down to his right to gather comfortably.
It wasn't until the 17th minute that City could seriously threat the Nantwich goal.
Lawrence's corner worked its way to Shawcross, whose boot connected well with the ball only to see his attempt cleared off the line at the back post.
Pugh then tried a long ranger but his left footed strike dragged wide of Lee Jones' left post.
The deadlock was broken just after the half hour mark and it was Nantwich who went ahead.
A mix up at the back between Shawcross and Sonko saw Ash Carter nip in to steal the ball and place it beyond Simonsen and into the back of the net.
They almost made it 2-0 when Simonsen was dispossessed in his area and Carter tried a strike from a tight angle, only for it to hit the side netting.
The half-time break saw Shawcross, Higginbotham and Lawrence all come off with Salif Diao, Rodney McDonald and Tom Urwin replacing them.
The second half continued in a similar way with chances on goal few and far between for both sides.
Tonge tested keeper Jones with a low strike after a mazy cut in from the left, before his free kick dipped just beyond the far post after missing the throng of bodies in the area.
Tonge was becoming a focal point for City attacks and midway through the half he set-up Cresswell with a neat ball in between the backline.
The striker beat the offside trap to run through on goal but fired a shot over the bar.
Nantwich then had another chance to double their advantage when Michael Lennon intercepted Griffin's short header back to Simonsen but his header fell wide of the post.
He would make no mistake a moment later though when he latched onto a ball forward to fire past City's keeper.
The Potters' main opportunity of the second half came with ten minutes remaining.
Tonge set Urwin free down the right side and his ball into the box found Cresswell, who close range strike was well saved by Jones.
Simonsen was then tested again in the final moments and had to produce a good save from Glynn Blackhurst's powerful header, but the score would remain 2-0 to the Dabbers.
CITY (4-4-1-1): Simonsen; Griffin (c) (Connor 65), Sonko, Shawcross (McDonald 46), Higginbotham (Diao 46); Lawrence (Urwin 46), Davies (Hedley 75), Pugh (Vickers 83), Wedderburn; Tonge; Cresswell. Sub (Not Used) Parton (gk).
