Stevenage’s FA Cup run got here to an finish as they had been defeated 3-1 by Stoke City in an entertaining tie.
The in-form League Two aspect, buoyed on by 3,291 travelling supporters, had been eyeing passage to the fifth spherical of the competitors for the primary time since 2012.
However, their return to the Midlands – the place they got here from behind to upset Unai Emery’s Aston Villa within the earlier spherical – was an sad one.
The Potters took an early lead inside two minutes by way of Jacob Brown and assumed management.
Stevenage levelled within the second half by way of Villa Park hero Jamie Reid, however their reprieve was short-lived due to Josh Laurent’s magnificent effort after which Lewis Baker added a late third from the penalty spot.
With new recruit Bersant Celina registered simply in time for the fixture, the on-loan Dijon playmaker was handed an instantaneous debut in a brand new 4-3-3 system.
And regardless of the tactical tweak, the hosts snatched an early lead with the Kosovo worldwide taking no time in any respect to adapt to his new environment.
An inviting Celina nook was flicked on by Ben Wilmot into the trail of Brown, who composed himself earlier than burying the opener inside 100 seconds.
After securing their first Championship factors of 2023 with a 4-0 thrashing of Reading final weekend, the Potters appeared to proceed the place they left off.
Although the travelling supporters’ spirits weren’t dampened by the early setback, they had been indebted to an impressed Taye Ashby-Hammond for conserving the sport tight.
The Stevenage stopper was busy within the opening interval and produced a string of spectacular saves to maintain the tie inside attain.
A energetic Celina went shut when he appeared so as to add the of entirety to a swift Stoke counter, however a superb fingertip save diverted the hassle huge.
Stoke fought their method into the fifth spherical
(Getty Images)
Ashby-Hammond needed to be rescued himself when Max Clark was in the correct place to clear Wilmot’s goal-bound header off the road.
But regular service was resumed when Stevenage’s primary thwarted Will Smallbone from a harmful place.
Steve Evans tried to evoke a comeback with all substitutes made earlier than the hour mark, and the recent Stevenage legs finally paid dividends.
After Celina struck the woodwork and Ashby-Hammond denied each Tyrese Campbell and Baker, the guests discovered a leveller.
Reid – scorer of the stoppage time winner at Villa within the third spherical – prodded over an onrushing Jack Bonham with Wilmot failing to clear.
However, the celebrations of a packed away finish had been fleeting, with Laurent notching his first Stoke purpose in spectacular style from lengthy vary.
And, after Brown was felled by Jonathan Tomkinson, Baker transformed from 12 yards late on to safe the hosts’ victory and full a optimistic January.
