The Potters were left with mixed feelings after Saturdays early kick off as Thomas Sorenson's injury time penalty save left them happy with a point whilst numerous missed chances during the second half left a feeling that the hosts should have won the game.

The game saw a first home start for £5m Turkish star Tuncay and a first start for both Tuncay and Jamaican star Ricardo Fuller as a partnership. After James Beattie's reported bust up with manager Tony Pulis and Mama Sidibe's injury ground injury niggle meant that Pulis had no choice but to put together the two men he had expressed doubts about as a pairing, much to the fans delight.

The game kicked off at pedestrian pace with both sides struggling to find a rhythm, the Potters usual tactic of finding a target man not working with the duo, who both prefer the ball to feet, up front. The only chance of the opening exchanges did fall to the hosts but Whitehead's snap shot bobbled wide of the post.

After Rodallega had had a free kick saved moments before, he rose above the defence to nod goalwards, bringing a great save from Sorenson. The keeper reaction stop was only parried upwards and as it fell Emerson Boyce nodded into the net, feeling the full force of Salif Diao's stray foot in hs face as he headed in.

City still couldn't find an instant response though and it wasn't until the twenty seventh minute that they went close again, Fuller beating his marker to the ball but nodding just wide with Kirkland watching.

Salif Diao was next to try his luck when he let fly from 25 yards. The Senegalese stars shot was deflected and spun wide for a corner. The danger wasn't gone though and Tuncay whipped in the corner and that allowed him to remain unnoticed as, after Whitehead had played the ball back to Sorenson, the keeper's long clearance was flicked on by Shawcross to Tuncay. He controlled the ball before cutting inside and smashing the ball into the net from a tight angle to level the scores.

With Tuncay now off the mark in a Stoke shirt he was full of confidence and less than sixty seconds later an audacious overhead kick from a Delap throw in was blocked on its way top the net, denying the Turkish star doubling his account.

The Potters pressed for the remainder of the half and a one two between Fuller and Tuncay saw the Jamaican smash a shot inches wide of the far post.

City again pressed at the start of the second half but for all their pressure it was Wigan who went close in the 55th minute when Scharner won a header but couldn't direct it towards the goal, allowing Stoke to breathe again.

City were in the action soon after as Fuller sprinted past Bramble, leaving the defender in his wake, before shooting across goal and towards the far post. The ball bobbled wide somehow squeezing inbetween the post and the far post slide of Tuncay.

Just after the hour mark City sprinted forward again with Etherington going clear down the left. Just as the speedster made his way into the box he was cynically brought down, with Scharner recieving a booking. Tuncay took the free kick but couldn't keep it down and the danger was gone.

As the game reached its last twenty minutes it was all Stoke as firstly Whelan got on the end of Etherington's cross but poked his effort wide and then, moments later, Tuncay raced clear before seeing his shot deflected over the bar by the toe of Scharner. The ball was heading for the net before that fantastic last ditch block.

City were then caught out by an amazing goal as, after Huth gave away a free kick just inside the Wigan half, left back Figueroa stepped up and smashed the ball over Sorenson and into the net, a goal measured at an amazing sixty seven yards.

City were somehow behind. but not for long, as, less than two minutes later, Shawcross rose to meet Etherington's corner and nodded past Kirkland to level up once again. Bramble then denied the hosts a winner as Fuller's pull back for Tuncay was cut out by the former Newcastle man.

The tide turned towards the end as a penalty was awarded to the visitors. A ball through to Gomez resulted in the Spaniard being brought down by Huth. Gomez was easily two yards offside when the ball was played but the penalty is given. Sorenson, having saved two penalties in the last three games, stepped up to the mark yet again and kicked away Rodallega's spot kick to secure the Potters a well earned point.