Matthew Etherington brought City back down to earth with a stoppage-time equaliser.
Roberto Mancini's high-fliers looked set for all three points thanks to a marvellous goal from Micah Richards in the 81st minute.
But Stoke refused to lie down and Etherington took advantage of a clever back-heel from Tuncay to ensure his side got a share of the spoils.
City found themselves under pressure for long spells in the first half and must have been delighted to go in at the break on level terms.
Stoke showed their credentials as early as the fifth minute when a long throw from Rory Delap was flicked on by Ryan Shawcross.
Jermaine Pennant got on the end of it, clearing the bar with his effort before Delap caused further confusion in the City penalty area.
Ricardo Fuller found himself clear following a long throw, only to see his shot blocked by Vincent Kompany.
Etherington then took advantage of some defensive hesitancy to fire in a shot City goalkeeper Joe Hart got a hand to before the ball was scrambled away.
The home side should have taken the lead in the 16th minute when Fuller and Kenwyne Jones played a neat one-two.
Fuller was released in the area but failed to test Hart, steering his effort wide of the post.
City were again forced on the back foot in the 22nd minute when Robert Huth cleared the bar from a good position.
The visitors launched a quick counter-attack in the 31st minute when David Silva released Carlos Tevez.
The striker found James Milner but the move broke down following a timely challenge by Andy Wilkinson.
Back came Stoke and Fuller got goal-side of Kolo Toure only to send his shot into the arms of Hart.
Play switched down the other end and Aleksandar Kolarov tested goalkeeper Asmir Begovic from distance in the 36th minute.
Stoke were nearly undone in the 42nd minute following a mistake by Danny Collins. He played a casual back pass to Begovic, unaware Tevez was lurking on the edge of the area.
Begovic came to the rescue, racing out of his goal to divert the ball to safety.
Mario Balotelli had started the half with purpose for City and showed good strength and pace to rattle in a shot in the 52nd minute that went narrowly wide.
Stoke hit back and Fuller got on the end a ball from Etherington two minutes later and skipped into the area but sent a soft shot into Hart's body.
Then Etherington's miscued effort was met at the back post by Shawcross, However the defender was off balance and headed over the bar.
Fuller was finding it hard going in the second half and replaced by Jon Walters in the 75th minute.
His arrival gave Stoke a bit of impetus and Jones saw his effort cleared off the line by Milner before Tuncay fired the rebound over the bar.
City, however, made the breakthrough in the 81st minute with a marvellous piece of skill from the recalled Richards.
He latched on to a ball from Milner, sold a dummy to Collins before rifling a shot into the corner from the edge of the area.
Stoke, though, secured a point in stoppage time through Etherington, who got on the end of a clever back heel from substitute Tuncay. Although Hart got a hand to the ball he could not prevent it going into the net.
Stoke 1 City 1
November 27, 2010
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Heart breaking...
The potteries was not a total success because our City mould needs a little more smoothing but is one point and better than the none we usually end up with at Stoke.
Realy Gutted after stoke scored late on at the start of the game a draw wont of been a bad result but because stoke scored late on it feels like a defeat before we scored Mancini looked like he was settlelimg for 0-0 as he did not make a sub untill the 82nd minute.
keep the faith CTID
Our away form now is formidable. the late switch-off shows we are still a work in progress and will upset Mancini but we took a total pummeling today early on, dusted ourselves off and took the game to Stoke. Things are looking up. Just the home form now.
Into injury time, one-up and City keeping possession brilliantly. Then Kolo Toure stupidly lumps the ball up, straight to the Stoke goalkeeper, when Kolo was under little pressure. Back comes the ball and Stoke equalize. Kolo had had a good game then only he can explain why he felt it necessary to give possession away so cheaply. Peter Walton did his usual rubbsih refereeing and gave City hardly anything. A good point but I would have loved to take all 3 from a physical spoiling Stoke side with fanatical supporters who appear to be happy with dross as long as they don`t lose, booing City each time they had the ball. Sad lot. Great goal from Micah.
got a bit giddy after that result against Fulham didnt you oh and Tevez wants to leave too!
Our ex bench warmer looks like he's finally realised the only way is down after leaving the best club on the planet
by far the best team today, should of come away with 3 points, the referee decided the game today another poor performance from the ref, yet tony pulis is the manager who complains about the refs more than anyone. got it all his own way today. still unbeaten in 5 and got bolton and west ham coming up 6 points and were back in the title race up the blues!
I feel SICK! Why could we not just hang on... Don't want to think about football till Wednesday... :-/
Fair result when all is said and done after Stoke bossed the first half. Gutted we couldn't hold on, but the second half display was encouraging, and Micah's goal is going to look great on MOTD tonight.
Two points dropped but we are still in 4th spot. Next week's Bolton game should be an open game.
Away at Stoke on a cold pitch, at least we tried playing football as opposed to towel dried balls thrown long!
However even if a sublime bit of skill from one of Stokes best players, cancelled out our win:-
We must learn to keep possession until the final whistle is blown!!
Great singing from the City fans, sure Mancini wanted a better present though.
Kicked off the park by a bunch of thugs, aided and abetted by the weakest ref in the PL. Would love to see our record when Peter " I'm a Scouser thru and thru" Walton refs.
Having said that we should not have conceded a goal like that in inj time. Kolo panicked and hoofed it to their goalie instead of keeping posession, but even then we should defend a long kick better... I wouldn't blame Richards (no doubt many will) but he had a choice go to Tuncay who had the ball or leave him 20 yds out bang in front of goal?
Personally think that Hart should have saved it (after all he did get a good hand on it).
Very disappointed with Milner again. Some really good performance esp by Barry, Silva and the back 4. We dominated second half and I think a few were shell shocked for first half.
Stoke - make Blackburn look like Barca. Truly, truly awful team to watch. Thought dinosaurs were extinct, but no they are alive and well in the shape of Pulis, Shawcross, Wilkinson, Huth and many others.
Could City have played any worse first half ? Milner did nothing but give the ball away, as he has done all season - get rid. Ballotelli - Another attitude...will City never learn ? Great goal Micah; but where were you for theirs ?????
Overall... very very poor... just glad I didn't go and waste money on that crap... and they get paid how much ?? Pull the other one ! What happened to Blackburn ? I heard the owners told Sam to play more entertaining football... has he followed their advice ? Nice one Sam. Maybe they should learn something about football before telling a Bolton legend how to manage a football team. Stick to chickens boys.
still a fair result as we weren't at the races in the first half and could've been 2 down.
And we were playing against 12 (the ref included) against a team of brutal convicts.
Gutted we conceded in the last minute however its better than a loss that it could've been
just got back from watchen city at kennilworth.. thought we deserved 3 points in the end we battled well 1st half when they bombarded us with throws and corners but we dug deep and 2nd half we were class kept the ball and went for the 3points it would off been a good 3 points if were to hold on but we didnt and to be honest i would of took a point before the game stoke is an hard place to go looking at the fixture list for all teams coming up to xmas before and if we win next 3 prem games im confident we will be in top 3 within 3 points from the top which will be good for us .. onwards and upwards for me love u city ..
OK who's going to be the first red poster, then?
TTFN
That was frustrating to say the least! That aimless ball from Kolo Toure when he had the opportunity to pass to a Blue shirt or at least put it out for a throw in? No straight back to their goal keeper! Before that stupid free kicks given away Stoke chance to throw the ball in. It was naive defending after doing the "hard bit" and would have been a nice 3 points to pinch in the type of game that can decide where we finish this season. For all those people who slag Yaya Toure off and say Milner should play in the middle then i hope you have seen the answer to that? Milner was poor today and although he is a real trier it is not the answer having him in the middle of midfield. We would have took 4 points from those two away games beforehand so it is not a bad return. But the facts are we should have wrapped that game up instead on losing their heads in added time. Balotelli still has a lot to learn......
So this is your dream team . dream on pity.
why did k toure hoof it to there keeper when in loads off space result big kick flick on 1-1
Next time. Poultry firm brought their chickens to town today and were attacked by a load of mindless hairless red foxes. Long live the ricochet!.
Shame we coulndnt hold on to the lead especially as the top 3 all won, but stoke at home is not any easy fixture for any team In this league.
Now i know Big Sam has always had a crush on old bacon face but to let yoonited put 7 past them is a bit unfair to the blackburn fans.. tut tut sam
Much better second half which deserved 3 points. Great goal by Richards but an even better one by Etherington in the 93rd minute. Improvement on last season's match.
tick tock tick tock say no more say no more tick tock
Where was we from last weeks performance ...miles away...
No critism for Bobbi, although everybody could see Milner was up for it...should have started Johno in my opinion...
Do i think we have the guts for the title this season ...NO..
Do i think we could win Silver ..mmm...?
Do I think we are consistent on a good performance ...NO !
Do I think Mario is another Adebayor but with a bit of skill...YES..LAZY..
Did I think the main man Carlos looked uninterested ... YES..
Did I think Walton (ref) was a JOKE ....YES !!
Same ol same ol...still a points a point as Keegan would say.....
Well done Blues ...Well done Bobbi.........
CITY FOR LIFE !!
We blew it today but we;re getting close. we just need a few more recruits for the middle and upfront and we;ll walk this leauge; chelski are falling a part and we have the schekels 2 by who we want. Chins up fellow blues; onwords and upwords. LCHMU