City missed out on a semi final home tie against Port Vale as a youthful line up crashed to a three goal defeat at Kidsgrove.
With Kidsgrove fielding a first team line up the Potters were always up against it as they struggled early on to get to grips with the extra physical test they were up against.
Two early goals put the hosts in charge as the prolific Dave Walker nodded in a dangerous cross before ex-Macclesfield striker Matt Hadrell took advantage of indecision in the City defence to double the advantage.
A third followed on twenty minutes when Walker added a second to his account, slotting past Danzelle St.Louis-Hamilton to seal the win.
The longer the game went on the more the Potters came into the game and Nathaniel Wedderburn started to dominate the game during the second half, using his strength and power to try and start a Potters comeback.
Wedderburn was denied three times during the second half, with Lund, Vickers and Urwin all being denied whilst Walker missed two late chances for a hat trick the second a simple tap in from three yards.
Stoke: St.Louis-Hamilton; Hedley, Wint, McDonald, Sinclair; Urwin, Stockhall, Wedderburn, Lund(Foster 75), Jackson(Mitchell 71); Vickers