Potters can’t crack Cup

the negativity surrounding our recent form. The pitch was also a difficult pitch to move the ball quickly and show the extra quality.

“I wanted to come and win to silence some critics and get some confidence and show a bit of pride.

“Ultimately we didn’t quite get that performance but they showed character at the end.

“We could easily have gone under but we got an equaliser and we live to fight another day.

“There were chants but it is not for me to sit down and start crying. I am going to puff my chest out and try and win the game.”

Relegated Stoke, who are 14th, spent £46million on eight new players this summer with six starting. But it was hard to tell who were the ex-Premier League team in the first half.

The visitors should have gone ahead but James McClean volleyed wide.

Rowett’s side were made to pay as sub Aaron Amadi-Holloway was felled by Thomas Edwards.

Norburn slammed in a low right-foot penalty for his seventh of the season.

Rowett’s three subs in the 74th minute then saved his side four minutes later.

All three men combined as Crouch volleyed in from close-range after Mame Diouf flicked on sub Tyrese Campbell’s cross.

Town boss Sam Ricketts, in charge a month, said: “We had the better chances and were so close.”