Stoke defeated relegated Colchester but will have to wait to secure promotion after Hull beat Crystal Palace.
Richard Cresswell deflected home a Liam Lawrence shot in first-half stoppage time and the Potters were within minutes of promotion to the top flight.
But Hull struck a late winner, meaning Stoke need a point against Leicester next weekend to guarantee promotion.
Colchester, playing their last match at Layer Road, nearly equalised but Carlo Nash denied Kevin Lisbie.
Colchester boss Geraint Williams:
"We wanted to say goodbye to the old ground.
"All we could do was to try to put in a performance so that we could give people some happy memories.
"I think we played magnificently and we dealt with all but one of their long throws into the box, and that has cost us and won the game for Stoke."
Stoke boss Tony Pulis:
"The best thing to come out of today is that is in our hands.
"It could have swung towards Hull but it has stayed with us.
"Someone came over and said it was 1-1 at Hull - but I didn't realise the full story until the end of the game."
Colchester: Gerken, Ifil, Coyne, Virgo (Balogh 43), White, Duguid (Platt 88), Jackson, Hammond, Elito, Lisbie, Vernon (Sheringham 62).
Subs Not Used: Cousins, Izzet.
Stoke: Nash, Riggott, Shawcross, Cort, Dickinson, Lawrence, Delap, Whelan, Cresswell, Sidibe (Ameobi 79), Fuller.
Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Wilkinson, Pugh, Pearson.
Booked: Ameobi.
Goals: Cresswell 45.
Att: 6,300
Ref: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire).
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