Missed chances was the theme of the night as a battling Stoke side slumped to a disappointing home defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace, failing to capitalise on promotion rivals Bristol City's defeat at the weekend.

Stoke were 2-0 down at the break after a header from Tom Soares and a volley from Jose Fonte shocked the home side.

Glenn Whelan pulled back a late goal for the Potters with a screamer from outside the box, but Palace held on as City were guilty of missing chance after chance.

Pulis was forced into changes due to Liam Lawrence pulling out through injury. Richard Cresswell took his place on the right of midfield, with Mama Sidibe returning to the starting line up to partner Shola Ameobi, who was making his home debut.

Danny Pugh also replaced Carl Dickinson at left-back. Ricardo Fuller was back from suspension but was left on the bench with Dickinson, Jay Bothroyd, Ryan Shawcross and Steve Simonsen.

The Potters almost caught the visitors out in the first minute. An unexpected short throw by Rory Delap enabled skipper Andy Griffin to cross low into the box, but neither Cresswell or Sidibe were able to make clean contact.

Palace set out with an attacking mindset and Victor Moses fired over from the edge of the Stoke box with three minutes gone.

Leon Cort came closer than ever to scoring against his former club just before the ten minute mark. He flicked on a trademark Delap throw that hit the far post and trickled along the goal line narrowing avoiding the far corner.

City dominated the opening exchanges and some neat passing amongst the forward players almost brought about another chance but the Palace keeper Julian Speroni slid out to claim the ball.

Stoke went behind undeservedly after 22 minutes when Soares sneaked in unmarked at the back post to head home Scott Sinclair's cross.

Stephen Pearson had a chance to equalise within five minutes when he received the ball on the edge of the box after a well worked corner, but his drive went narrowly wide.

Sidibe had a chance to equalise after 36 minutes but he headed over from Pearson's corner.

Minutes later Sidibe muscled his way through after a long pass from Whelan but his low shot was tipped wide by Speroni. From the resulting corner Cort got to the ball first but the Palace keeper dived on his header.

Palace scored against the run of play right on half time. A sweetly struck volley from Fonte flew into the top corner to shock the Potters, and send them in at half time 2-0 down.

City flew out of the blocks and half time, and Cort headed just wide from a Pugh cross immediately after the restart. Four minutes later former Potter Clint Hill cleared the ball just wide of the visitors goal after a low cross.

Stoke earned a corner ten minutes into the second half when Cresswell cross come shot was tipped over by Speroni. The resulting corner was gathered by Speroni.

The fans were calling for Fuller and they got their wish in the 56^th minute when he replaced the disappointing Sidibe.

Stoke went close again when Ameobi rose to meet a Pearson free kick but yet again the ball was headed narrowly wide.

Hill was booked after 65 minutes for bringing down Ameobi, Pearson's free kick was headed behind by a defender. Cort headed yet another chance wide from Pearson's cross.

Stoke's best chance of the half came when Fuller burst through the middle with twenty minutes remaining but he failed to beat Speroni, who did well to prevent the corner.

The Potters continued to press and when Palace failed to clear from a corner, the ball fell to Whelan on the edge of the penalty area but his low shot went wide.

Stoke went all out attack with fifteen minutes left on the clock when Bothroyd replaced the tireless Pearson, meaning the Potters had four strikers on the field.

City appeared out of luck when Ameobi failed to put the ball past Speroni from point blank range. They continued to lay siege on the opposition goal but the Palace keeper was having the game of his life, as a string of successive corners came to nothing.

Stoke found a lifeline with five minutes remaining, when a scorching volley from Whelan on the edge of the box flew into the corner.

Palace substitute Shaun Scannell could have won the game as the clock ticked into five minutes of added on time, but he dragged his shot wide as Nash closed him down.

For all Stoke's efforts they failed to find an equaliser and were left to wonder what could have been as they lost vital ground in the promotion race.