Second-half goals from Charlie Adam and Peter Crouch gave Stoke City a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa at the Britannia Stadium this afternoon.
Nathan Baker almost gave Villa a 10th-minute lead, but Asmir Begovic clutched onto his near-post effort at the second attempt.
Alexander Tonev then scuffed his volley into the floor after Geoff Cameron could only clear Matt Lowton's cross as far as the Bulgarian.
Cameron almost gave his side a 37th-minute lead in fortuitous circumstances, but Brad Guzan reacted well to tip the right back's mishit cross over the bar.
Ciaran Clark and Baker then put their bodies on the line to deny Crouch and Marko Arnautovic in quick succession as Villa kept their clean sheet intact at the break.
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Adam entered the fray at the break and within six minutes, he had given his side the lead. The Scotsman reacted quickest to collect Crouch's flick on, and sidestepped Baker before keeping his cool to give his side the lead.
Begovic almost handed Villa an immediate equaliser when he punched the ball straight to Tonev, but the midfielder dragged a cross-cum-shot harmlessly wide.
Fabian Delph, restored to the Villa starting XI following a suspension, picked up a booking for a mistimed tackle on Crouch and escaped another booking two minutes later for a late challenge on Adam.
In the 66th minute, the visitors were gifted an equaliser as Libor Kozak nicked in to prod home after a weak header back to his goalkeeper by Erik Pieters, but Stoke regained their lead within five minutes.
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Cameron's cross cannoned off two Villa defenders and fell into the path of Crouch, who was left with the simple task of tapping home from six yards.
Crouch came within inches of wrapping up victory in the 75th minute with a cheeky backheel, but the frontman's effort rebounded back off the foot of the post.
Begovic ensured that his side went away with all three points as he acrobatically tipped Kozak's thumping volley over the bar with ten minutes left.
Kristian Johnson
