FA Cup: Stoke City 2 Shrewsbury Town 3 - Player ratings

Steve Arnold

Arnold has, by all accounts, had a good season so far in blue and amber. He took the number one shirt away from loanee Joel Coleman and has established himself as Town's first choice. Over the last few weeks though his kicking has really started to let him down. Last night was no different. To his credit, Arnold was dominant in his area and made some vital saves across the ninety minutes from efforts by stars who have scored plenty of Premier League goals. 6/10.

James Bolton

WHAT A STRIKE! Who knew that he had that in his locker? We all thought that Bolton had sent that strike over the bar, but it clipped off the post and landed, probably smoking, in Adam Federici's net. Bolton had it hard first half with the majority of Stoke's dangerous pay coming down his side. He shared a minor lack of communication with Waterfall that almost presented a chance to the Potters, but in his defence going forward he looked strong. 7/10.

Luke Waterfall

It is easy to forget the 70 poor minutes that proceeded Bolton's strike. Waterfall looked nervy from start to finish. We expected Omar Beckles replace to him for this one but Ricketts, a former centre-half himself, stuck by Waterfall on what was always going to be a tough evening. There were communication break downs, under-hit passes and a poor defensive header across his own area that resulting in Stoke doubling their lead when he should have really just turned it behind. Waterfall appears to be really low on confidence. 4/10.

Mat Sadler

Likewise, Sadler will agree that last night wasn't his best performance under Ricketts, but it was always going to be a tough test. Sadler is a leader though, and without him during those last ten minutes Town may well have conceded and been forced to endure another 30 minutes. 5/10.

Ryan Haynes

Ryan Haynes could well be the most technically talented man in Town's squad. His first-half cross from deep, on his weak foot, searching for Amadi-Holloway in the area was excellent and summed up exactly why some down fans are really starting to like him. Haynes just about takes man of the match away from Josh Laurent. Laurent was sublime in the second half, but Haynes was faultless in both. 8/10.

Anthony Grant

At times, Grant and Laurent found themselves sucked in a little as Town crept forward, allowing Tom Ince space to turn and run at Sadler and Waterfall. Grant is a warrior. Even his quiet performances see him make a vital impact on the game. You got exactly what you'd expect from him: Big tackles, relentlessly chasing his runner and real fight. Without him there would have been no turnaround. 7/10.

Josh Laurent

The hero of the night. It was a tough first half for Laurent. Yet again he was deployed in an area of the field unnatural to him, this time deeper than normal, and was assigned to keep tabs on Tom Ince, a man who joined Stoke for £10m. The Potters really hurt Shrewsbury up the middle, but in the second half he picked himself up off the canvas, won Town a penalty with a purposeful run, and dealt the blow that finished Stoke for good. 7/10.

Alex Gilliead

Gilliead makes things happen. He may fall silent for large periods, but on the ball he is a dangerous man to have running at you. Even Bruno Martins-Indi and Ashley Williams, who combined share over one hundred international caps, struggled with the former Newcastle man. He was one of the few Town player who looked happy to turn on the ball and give Stoke something to think about and one of few to shine when Town were at their worst. 7/10.

Greg Docherty

While on the right of Town's 4-2-3-1 Docherty looked lost, but once Ricketts had shifted his men into the 3-5-2 system that changed the game he looked a revived man. Docherty was heading for a poor rating until late on when he provided a moment of quality to rival even Bolton's strike. If you were to give one hundred League One footballers a chance to charge into the area in the way that Docherty did for Town's winner, then 99 would power an effort towards goal, but not Docherty. Calmly he checked and slid a perfect pass for Laurent to tap home. Exquisite vision and execution. 6/10.

Fejiri Okenabirhie

First pushed out wide, it looked like it wasn't going to be a long night for Fejiri when Stoke went two-goals ahead before the break. He was forced to get back and do the dirty work in defence, alien for a man so desperate to be up the other end. However he seemed to grow into the second half. Okenabirhie has ice in his veins and there is no other man in that Town eleven that I would trust more than him to convert from the spot under that pressure. 6/10.

Aaron Amadi-Holloway

Amadi-Holloway took a knock inside the opening five minutes and never really came to life after that. He nearly found himself on the end of a Ryan Haynes cross mid-way through the first half, but that was the only impact he made on the evening's entertainment after he was sacrificed at the break. 5/10.

Omar Beckles (45')

Beckles fitted into the three-man defence with ease and for time in an awfully long time he found himself in his natural position. 6/10.

Angol (90')

N/A

Eisa (90')

N/A

Man of the Match

Ryan Haynes