Cresswell makes it three against the Shrews

Richard Cresswell scored his third goal in pre-season with a second half strike to win the match.

The friendly, in front of 3,500 saw 850 Stokies making the short trip to Shropshire, but they had to wait until the second half before the Potters finally broke the deadlock with help from Danny Pugh who came on as a second half sub.

Stoke were again without Ric Fuller who is still recovering from knee surgery. Liam Lawrence, Leon Cort and Dominic Matteo were also forced to sit out the match and there was no sign of the Potters’ new signings, Thomas Sorensen and Seyi Olofinjana who had both been given a few days off after their recent transfers.

The Stoke squad have now travelled down to the South Coast for tomorrow’s night’s friendly against Southampton at St. Mary’s. They’re due to train at Portsmouth’s training ground tomorrow, courtesy of Tony Pulis’ old friend, Harry Redknapp. This is the first real test for the Potters this pre-season with Sorensen likely to make his debut after Steve Simonsen picked up at slight strain in Saturday’s match at Shrewsbury.

Stoke team against Shrewsbury:Simonsen, Griffin (Wilkinson 52), Buxton (Pugh 52), Shawcross, Dickinson, Cresswell, Whelan (Diao 52), Pulis (Wedderburn 62), Delap (Pericard 52), Sidibe (Parkin 52), Kitson (Shotton 62)