IT'S A NIGHT TO FORGET AS STOKE ARE KNOCKED OUT

STOKE City have been beaten for the first time this season as a much-changed side was emphatically knocked out of the Carabao Cup by League One Bradford.

- Peter Smith

Stoke might have come into this second round tie on the back of four straight wins to start the term but they were pinned back by an impressive and energetic Bradford side from the start.

It seemed like only a matter of time before the visitors took the lead and the only question was how they would get it, which they did with Will Swan's free header from a corner. It was 2-0 before halftime when some calamitous defending was punished by Brad Halliday running up from right-back to blast past Jack Bonham.

Bradford got the third midway through the second-half when George Lapslie had the freedom of the penalty area to secure his team their second Championship scalp of the month, having beaten Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park in the first round.

Stoke will be bruised by this performance and result but their form in the league can drown that out - even if the players who got their chance in this competition will now have to go a long way to working their way into Mark Robins' Championship plans.