10mins Alabi shot 0-1

17mins Ward shot 0-2

32mins Gilliead shot 1-2

42mins Kemen penalty 2-2

Half time: United 2 City 2

48mins Own goal (Kemen) 2-3

62mins Richards 2-4

Full time: United 2 City 4

Peter Beardsley told the club's website:

"I would say it was our own doing (going 0-2 down). Obviously I want them to play football, but we gave away possession too easily, as you tend to do sometimes when you play the way we do.

"Because of that, we were 2-0 down in no time, it seems, but we battled back. I think we were a bit lucky with the penalty - I'm not sure it was a penalty - but we got back to 2-2 and at half-time, we were quite happy with that.

"Football's like that sometimes (for OG victim Olivier Kemen). He worked hard enough, but it just wasn't his day today.

"To be fair to Stoke, they were physically stronger than us and they managed the game well. Glyn Hodges is a good lad and he's obviously got them coached well, and they were too strong for us today.

"I don't think it's a hindrance (playing at the training ground), to be fair. We had a great pitch, and that, for me, is the most important thing. They (Stoke) played well, they played some good football at times and possibly, in their case, could've had a couple more goals.

"There's always positives: I thought Alex Gillead was good today - he worked his socks off and obviously scored a good goal in the first half.

"(Kevin Mbabu) has been out for a while. Jamie Sterry's been outstanding since he's been out of the team and because of that, Kevin went to left-back. It's another game on his ladder if you like in terms of his recovery, and we've got another one coming up on Thursday.

"In that sense, the season's coming together at the right time, in terms of we're playing two games a week now which is good for us at our level, and hopefully he'll be fit to play on Thursday."

Ex-Newcastle midfielder Glyn Hodges guided his City second string to victory at a rainy Darsley Park on Monday - despite the Magpies recovering from an early two goal deficit to level by half time.

Peter Beardsley's side were looking to register back to back league wins for the first time this season, but were second best from the off and survived one scare before Stoke grabbed a tenth minute lead through James Alabi.

The teenage striker who recently returned from a loan spell at League Two Scunthorpe United latched on to a through ball and forced the ball home, despite home 'keeper Jonathan Mitchell getting a touch and defender Kevin Mbabu almost managing to clear off the line.

City then doubled their lead in the 17th minute after Lubo Satka surrendered possession and Charlie Ward took full advantage, lifted it over the advancing Mitchell with just enough power for the ball to run slowly into the net.

United replied just after the half hour mark, when Alex Gilliead took a pass from midfielder Greg Olley before slotting a left-footed effort past Dan Bachmann for his first reserve strike of the campaign.

And the black and whites were back on terms three minutes before the break, Olivier Kemen and Jonathyn Quinn exchanging passes only for Kemen to be then barged over in the area for a clear penalty. 

After two minutes of arguing over who would take the spot-kick, Kemen stepped up and notched his first goal at this level, resisting the temptation to punch it in...

But just three minutes after the break the French youth international was in the spotlight for a rather less welcome reason, slicing a corner into his own net to restore Stoke's advantage.

And the visitors made sure of all three points just after the hour, when substitute Derice Richards side-footed home Joel Taylor's centre at the back post.

Thanks to GW