POTTERS AF EASY NIGHT

TWO class goals from Ibrahim Afellay and Phil Bardsley ended the brave run of giant-killers Wednesday.

Former Barcelona midfielder Afellay scored with a cracking 30th-minute volley to give the Potters the initiative.

And substitute Bardsley gave them a mountain to climb with a cracker from 35 yards in the 75th minute.

This was a disappointingly subdued display from a Wednesday side that had outpunched its weight in the two previous rounds by claiming the scalps of Newcastle and Arsenal.

And with a semi-final spot the reward, it was perhaps surprising to see Owls boss Carlos Carvalhal make seven changes from the weekend.

danger when Glen Johnson took a short throw out on the left deep in the visitors’ half.

But they got themselves in a fix when Joselu turned at pace and swept a cross over to the far side of the box where Afellay rifled a volley back across himself and into the bottom corner of the net.

The Dutch star nearly took the tie away from the Owls in the 59th minute when he cut inside the box and fired a low shot goalwards only to see keeper Joe Wildsmith block it with his legs. But Wildsmith had no chance when Bardsley thumped home a long range effort HERO: Afellay which flew in celebrates off the post.

Any downturn in performance wasn’t for the lack of support with the 4,600 travelling fans packing an entire end behind the goal and in good voice.

Afellay’s first goal for the club came after Stoke had threatened to undo the Championship side on a number of times, but were guilty of trying to over-complicate things on occasions.

The midfielder showed just why he lists PSV and Barca among his former clubs with a finish of stunning quality. There seemed to be no immediate