City bounce back to hit Stoke for six

For the second Saturday running, City overcame a deficit to gain a positive result - this time claiming their first win of the season at Stoke RTC.

After coming back from three goals down to snatch a point against Coventry Sky Blues last weekend, the team responded from 0-2 down to record what in the end was a convincing 6-2 victory.

A sluggish start saw City keeper Josh Reed-Jones tip a first minute cross-shot onto the bar with Sam Cotton clearing another Stoke effort off the line from the resulting corner.

The visitors' first chance saw George Hymas shoot over before great deliveries by Cotton created opportunities for Jesse Asomugha and Will Cottell.

After Reed-Jones made a good one-on-one block, City's defence didn't heed their lesson as Stoke pinched the ball in midfield and ran straight through on goal to score.

The hosts had two good chances to increase their lead at the start of Q2 but missed - City finally coming to life towards the end of the quarter with some concerted pressure on Stoke's backline.

That momentum continued at the beginning of the third quarter when good link up play between Cotton and Cottell set up Cian Sheehan, who skewed wide.

Stoke then broke from defending a set piece to run through the middle of City's defence once again and grab their second.

Reed-Jones crucially pushed another Stoke attempt onto the angle of post and bar before City were given a lifeline when a Ben Bibb cross was adjudged to have been handled with Asomugha coolly stroking home the penalty.

Moments later, Asomugha turned provider when he was neatly found by Matt Athey on the right and he squared for the onrushing Cottell to roll in the equaliser.

The leveller galvanised City, who then took full control of proceedings - scoring four times in the final quarter.

Somewhat fortuitously, they took the lead when Hymas swung the ball over from the right and it sailed over the keeper and in.

Asomugha made it 4-2 when he pounced on Stoke hesitancy at a goal-kick prior to Cottell sweeping in his second with a super finish at the near post.

Demonstrating this week's shooting practice in training had been worth it, skipper Sheehan put the icing on the cake when he drove in a sixth from outside the box as City secured the three points to take back down the M6.