NEWCASTLE TOWN 0
STOKE CITY 6 (Huth 26, Fuller 63, Tuncay 66, 79 & 87, Tonge 71)
Attendance: 3,360
STOKE CITY'S pre-season preparations continued on Saturday afternoon as the Potters picked up a thoroughly deserved 6-0 win against local non-league side NewcastleTown at the LymeValley Stadium.
A hat-trick from Turkey captain Tuncay, as well as goals from Jamaican international Ricardo Fuller, Robert Huth and Michael Tonge ensured the victory for the Potters in what was the 29th game between the two sides.
Manager Tony Pulis named a strong side ahead of the clash, despite the majority of the players featuring heavily in Thursday night's goalless draw with Notts County at Meadow Lane.
The visitors were fastest out of the blocks with the lively Matthew Etherington and Mamady Sidibe going close early on, whilst Ricardo Fuller maybe should have done better than firing wide of goal after being played through by Danny Pugh.
The Newcastle Town backline continued to be put under heavy pressure, and they were finally undone shortly before the half hour mark when German star Huth rose highest to meet Dean Whitehead's corner and planted his header into the back of the net.
One almost became two moments later, but Tonge's diving header was brilliantly palmed away by the outstretched Town goalkeeper.
City continued to enjoy the lion's share of possession as the half wore on and should have ended the first 45 minutes with a bigger margin than just the one goal, as Fuller and Whitehead spurned good opportunities before the break.
Pulis decided against making any changes to his side during the interval, but it wasn't long until he did decided to freshen things up a little bit by introducing Tuncay, Liam Lawrence and young striker Louis Moult.
It was in fact their arrivals which sparked an impressive 10 minute spell which culminated in Stoke extending their advantage by a further three goals.
Firstly, Fuller leapt to powerfully head home Lawrence's pin-point ball just after the hour mark, before Tuncay calmly stroked home a third two minutes later after good work on the by-line from the sponsors man of the match Tonge.
A fourth was soon on the agenda for the goal happy Potters as Tonge turned from provider to finisher by sublimely curling the ball into the bottom corner after latching on to Lawrence's cute through ball.
Academy graduate Moult was next to try his luck, only to see his effort flash wide, whilst Rory Delap went close to scoring a superb solo effort 20 minutes from time when his powerful effort from 15-yards was thwarted by the legs of the goalkeeper.
The majority of the 3360 supporters didn't have to wait long before they were up celebrating once again though as Tuncay added to his earlier strike with a well executed second, before wrapping up the win by claiming his hat-trick with a classy finish two minutes from time..
Attentions now turn to Tuesday night's encounter against Championship side Derby County as the players continue to build up their fitness ahead of that eagerly anticipated season opener against Wolves in three weeks time.
CITY (4-4-2): Nash (Sorensen 62); Huth, Faye (Delap 62), Shawcross, Higginbotham (Collins); Tonge, Whitehead (Tuncay 55), Pugh, Etherington (Lawrence 55); Sidibe (Moult 55), Fuller (Whelan 65).
