While the match at The Weaver Stadium was a display of expansive attacking football from Stoke’s youngsters, the senior boys from both sides were pulling no punches at Meadow Lane.

The match had to be stopped temporarily after Danny Higginbotham received an elbow in the face from Notts striker Lee Hughes with just six minutes on the clock, in a personal duel which would continue throughout the contest.

The Stoke defender fouled Hughes five minutes later, sparking a less than ‘friendly’ incident which saw Glenn Whelan square-up to the former Coventry City striker.

County in particular were looking to get the ball down, and play it, but it was the Premier League side who almost scored what would have been a stunning goal.

Latching onto a Rory Delap ball down the right flank, the Republic of Ireland international turned neatly inside a defender and struck the ball beyond the 'keeper but unfortunately for Stoke, against the crossbar.

With the score level at half-time, Pulis looked to freshen-up his Stoke side in the second half, bringing on in goal Sorensen; Wilkinson and Huth in defence; Tonge, Whitehead and Pugh in midfield; and Beattie and Fuller up-front.

The Premier League side looked to grasp a stronghold over proceedings in the second-half, and went close to making the breakthrough when Tonge drilled the ball just over from 15 yards out, after Hugh had won possession inside the County half.

But alas, there was no breakthrough. In a league schedule, Pulis would have collected four points from tonight’s proceedings, so an outcome of a draw and victory from tonight’s matches will send the Stoke manager home a relatively happy Potter.

Stoke City starting XI: Begovic, Huth, Shawcross, Higginbotham, Collins; Lawrence, Delap, Whelan, Etherington; Sidibe, Tuncay.