City's second string made sure of no Halloween horror show at the Britannia Stadium by closing the gap on leaders Nottingham Forest to five points.

Strikers Jon Parkin and Vincent Pericard scored either side of an Andy Booth header to secure maximum points ahead of the top of the table clash at the City Ground in two weeks time.

The win ensured the Potters remain unbeaten in the Pontin's Holidays League thus far and the performances of both strikers will give manager Tony Pulis a selection headache on Saturday, with Richard Cresswell also returning from suspension.

First team coach Mark O'Connor fielded a strong line up ahead of the match with eight first team regulars named within the starting eleven.

Parkin partnered Pericard up front, while Peter Sweeney and Demar Phillips started in midfield.

A strong back four featured Clint Hill, who has just returned from injury, Marlon Broomes, Ritchie De Laet and Lewis Buxton.

The game kicked off and an early mistake could have seen the Potters take a first minute lead.

Matt Hazley reacted to a poor kick out by Town keeper Smithies but shot well wide with the goal at his mercy.

Russell Hoult was called into action in the tenth minute and he did well to acrobatically palm Racchi's 35-yard piledriver around the post.

Both sides pushed for an early goal, but neither City nor Huddersfield were able to break the deadlock.

Jamaican winger Phillips played a clever through ball for Parkin who rounded the keeper, before blazing his shot over the bar from 20-yards.

Parkin and Phillips continued to link up well and a neat one-two could have seen Pericard open the scoring for the Potters, but an outstretched defender brilliantly scooped the ball away from the Frenchman.

Pericard ambitiously attempted to fire the Potters ahead, but after brilliantly turning on the edge of the 18-yard box he curled his effort just over the bar.

However barely a minute later the 25-year old made no mistake after being freed by Parkin.

He took one touch before smashing the ball beyond the keeper into the bottom left hand corner.

Right on the stroke of half time, veteran striker Andy Booth levelled for the visitors after heading home a brilliant Racchi centre.

Straight from the re-start the visitors almost took the lead through a 25-yard screamer from Brandon, but fortunately for City his strike clipped the post.

Parkin almost made it 2-1 for City just after the hour mark, but his volley from Sweeney's corner crashed off the underside of the crossbar.

Sweeney tried his luck from range, while Huddersfield's Bailey also had a pop but to no avail.

O'Connor's side looked the more likely to take the lead as the game grew older and it came as no surprise when former Hull striker Parkin put City ahead.

He exquisitely controlled and touched the ball past a defender before rifling the ball past the keeper and it to the back of the net, much to the delight of the 100 or so supporters gathered in the John Smith's lower Stand.

Pericard had a late chance to make it three but he fired the ball over from 8-yards.

Andy Ritchie's side pushed for a late equaliser but the City rearguard held firm to secure their fourth straight home win.