MISSED chances inevitably come back to haunt you in football and Town were left well and truly spooked as they slumped to defeat at the Britannia Stadium.

Andy King's men have a miserable record of battling back from adversity on their travels and once Wayne Thomas headed City in front on the hour, it looked a long and difficult road back.

But this was not a case of big-spending Stoke brushing aside their poverty-stricken visitors.

Had Town been able to convert one of their chances, it could have been a different story.

Alan Reeves and Danny Invincible both had glorious opportunities to give Town the lead but 'what if's' and 'if only's' do not register on the scoresheet.

Only once this season have Town emerged victorious in an away game where they have fallen behind.

But you are left to wonder how many more points could have been collected had chances been taken while the score remained nil-nil.

Promotion-chasing Stoke looked anything but Division One-bound and any side with a cutting edge would have made them pay.

Sadly, Town could not do so, albeit with an experimental line-up.

Richard McKinney was given his Town debut in goal and although he was unable to keep a clean sheet, he made a couple of impressive saves, with the odd wobble thrown in.

Young midfielder Nathan Edwards was given a start, while Alan Reeves returned to the defence after his five match ban.

The 4-3-3 system was axed in favour of three centre backs with Paul Edwards and Invincible operating as wing backs.

But the real surprise was a front two of Eric Sabin and Matt Heywood.

If the players were apprehensive about the shake-up it certainly didn't show as the visitors made the more impressive start.

Paul Edwards was a whisker away from connecting with Andy Gurney's first minute free kick, the ball just eluding him at the far post.

The Stoke defence was at sixes and sevens on 11 minutes as Invincible's right wing cross cleared defenders and goalkeeper Neil Cutler. Sadly for Town, Bobby Howe could not cut the ball back into the path of the unmarked Sabin.

But the visitors' best chance of the half fell to Invincible just moments later.

The Australian raced in from the right edge of the area but just as as he was about to pull the trigger Sergei Shtaniuk slid in to deflect the ball out for a corner.

It was a great challenge but in truth Invincible had delayed his shot a moment too long.

But still the chances fell Town's way.

Reeves glanced a header just wide from Gurney's inswinging free kick on 16 minutes and Heywood should have done better four minutes later as he picked up the ball from Invincible, the Aussie having pinched the ball off Clive Clarke's toes on the corner flag, but crossed weakly into the arms of Cutler.

Stoke gradually began to wake up, unlike their home support, and a good passing move ended with Bjarni Gudjonnson finding the net, only to see the 23rd minute effort ruled out for offside.

Sabin then failed to find the target at the other end after an untidy clearance landed at his feet.

Just when a touch of composure was needed, the Frenchman miskicked.

But all Town's early pressure was almost left in tatters on 34 minutes when Paul Edwards was caught in possession just inside his own half.

Gudjonnson raced clear and arrowed in a terrific cross from the right byline.

The home fans rose to celebrate but Arnar Gunnlaugsson somehow failed to find the net with a header from virtually underneath the crossbar.

As the half drew to a close, Nathan Edwards was played in by Howe but the youngster's shot was deflected for a corner.

Despite winning numerous corners during the match, the general delivery was atrocious, with free kicks little better.

Stoke fans were left to howl their frustration when Peter Hoekstra wasted the Potters' best chance in first half stoppage time.

Cutler hammered a huge kick downfield, Town's defenders appealed for offside in vain and the Dutch international looked to have the simplest of tasks to lob McKinney.

But it proved too tough a chance and he tamely lifted the ball gratefully into the Town keeper's arms.

Town started the second half in much the same fashion as the first.

Heywood looked poised to finish on 48 minutes but was pulled up for handball after wriggling clear of his marker.

But Town's clearest chance of the afternoon fell to the returning Reeves on 51 minutes.

Howe's free kick was flicked on by Sabin but with the goal at his mercy, the 34-year-old poked his shot wide of Cutler's right post from eight yards.

Stoke seemed to take heart from the let-off and McKinney was called upon to make a stunning save from Gunnlaugsson's fiercely struck free kick.

Invincible then glanced wide from another Howe free kick but Town were made to pay for spurning their chances when Stoke took the lead on the hour.

Gunnlaugsson's quickly-taken free kick caught the Town defence napping and Thomas stole in to head past McKinney.

Stoke introduced striker Chris Iwelumo on 62 minutes and the substitute fired a cracking drive into the net just 60 seconds later, only to be penalised for handball.

However, it proved a stay of execution for Town as Iwelumo was in the right place five minutes later to power home a header from Deon Burton's right wing cross.

Andy King brought on Alan Young and David Duke but neither could turn the game in Town's favour.

McKinney was then fortunate to see Marc Goodfellow's drive whip through his hands and crash against the crossbar as City pressed for a third goal.

Thomas whipped a shot inches wide of the Town keeper's right post after a surging run and the Northern Ireland stopper had to be alert in injury time to tip over Goodfellow's goalbound effort.

Town were not outclassed but the simple truth is that goals and goalscorers win matches.