BEN ENDS LONG WAIT FOR GOAL IN CITY WIN

A SUPER rare Ben Pearson goal and another for Sorba Thomas's collection helped Stoke City to a much-needed 2-1 win over Swansea.

- Peter Smith

Pearson’s first goal in six years gave Stoke a halftime lead when he buried sweetly from 25 yards and sent Stoke on course for a big result, having come into this with five defeats in their last six to slip out of the top six for the first time.

Thomas got on the scoresheet with a well-taken effort after 60 minutes and Stoke looked in control but Zan Vipotnik pulled one back to make for an anxious finale.

Stoke were ready to defend when needed however and did what they needed to see it through for three points. They rise to seventh but remain a point outside the top six in what is an extremely tightly-packed league table.

Mark Robins had made six changes to his starting lineup, about as many as he has ever made in nearly 12 months in charge. In came Ashley Phillips and Eric Bocat to the back four, Pearson and Tatsuki Seko to midfield and Million Manhoef and Robert Bozenik up front.

It had been - both managers had said at Portman Road - a particularly intense game at Ipswich on the Wednesday, 24 hours after Swansea's Tuesday night home win over Portsmouth, so perhaps it was no surprise to mix it up for an early kickoff.