Stoke 2-3 Cardiff

Cardiff's Peter Thorne beats John Halls to score

Cardiff's Peter Thorne returned to haunt Stoke with a hat-trick to condemn his former club to defeat at the Britannia Stadium.

The striker, who joined Cardiff for £1.7m two seasons' ago, took his tally to four goals in two games as the Bluebirds extended their unbeaten away run to five matches.

The game came to life in a six-minute spell just after the half-hour mark with Thorne opening the scoring and restoring Cardiff's lead after John Eustace's equaliser.

Thorne's second-half header earned him the match ball, but substitute Ade Akinbiyi's almost immediate response - just eight minutes after his introduction - made for a tense finale.

Although Eustace continued to show the form which saw him score against Gillingham last weekend, Stoke manager Tony Pulis is left to reflect on a nine-game sequence in which his side have won just once.

The hosts threatened first, with Gifton Noel-Williams failing to find the target from just six yards following good work by Peter Hoekstra.

Thorne wasted a clear opportunity at the other end, his header parried by Ed de Goey, while Carl Asaba and Richard Langley traded long-range efforts that flew over the crossbar.

Cardiff goalkeeper Neil Alexander was tested by Darel Russell and Noel-Williams within the space of a minute, and John Halls shot wide from Russell's cross.

Thorne fired the wrong side of the upright before finding his range in the 34th minute.

Langley's corner was only half-cleared and Thorne made no mistake with a low shot after John Robinson's effort had been diverted into his path.

The lead lasted just six minutes, Eustace converting Noel-Williams' cross from the edge of the six-yard box.

Thorne, though, silenced the crowd almost immediately when he rose to head home Robinson's centre.

Cardiff compounded Stoke's woes in the 72nd minute when Gary Croft set up Thorne to head his third.

Akinbiyi, a 66th-minute replacement for Noel-Williams, fired low past Alexander to keep the hosts' hopes alive, but they could not fashion an equaliser.

---

Stoke: de Goey, Richardson, Halls, Thomas, Clarke, Russell, Eustace, Johnson, Hoekstra, Asaba, Noel-Williams. Subs: Cutler, Akinbiyi, Marcus Hall, Greenacre, Commons.

Cardiff: Alexander, Croft, Vidmar, Gabbidon, Barker, Robinson, Boland, Langley, Gray, Earnshaw, Thorne. Subs: Prior, Gordon, Bonner, Campbell, Margetson.

Referee: A Leake (Lancashire).