- Young Potters shine in first National League Cup win
- Tezgel scores all four as City defeat fifth tier high-flyers
- Sidibe also features for Shawcross’ side, who handed Under-21s debut to 15-year-old Rocco Bardsley
Emre Tezgel fired Stoke City’s Under-21s to a convincing 4-0 defeat of fifth tier high-flyers Forest Green Rovers in the Potters' second National League Cup contest of 24/25.
Steve Cotterill's hosts, who included several senior professionals in their starting XI, were reduced to ten men inside the game's early stages when Will Merrett was dismissed for a last man challenge on Darius Lipsiuc before Tezgel completed a first-half hat-trick at the Bolt New Lawn.
The England Under-20 international, who featured for Ryan Shawcross’s side for the first time this season, then added his fourth of the evening inside the second 45's opening five minutes.
City’s Head Coach named four changes to his starting XI from the Potters’ PL2 encounter with Everton three days ago, with Sol Sidibe making only his second Under-21s’ appearance of the campaign.
Meanwhile, Syd Agina claimed his maiden appearance for the Under-21s alongside Christy Grogan, who was restored into the young Potters' backline for the first time since September.
Tezgel provided the lead from the penalty spot inside six minutes after Lipsiuc was brought down by Rovers stopper Fiachra Pagel and defender Merrett, who was subsequently sent off for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
The 19-year-old forward came close to immediately doubling his side’s lead in Gloucestershire when he curled an effort towards goal to force an excellent stop from the hosts’ goalkeeper.
City then added a second in the 18th minute of the cup contest when a loose ball fell into the path of Tezgel, who drilled a shot under Pagel's outstretched arm.
Shawcross' side's hunger for goals did not waiver after their second, though, with Sidibe the next to test Pagel with a powerful shot from close-range midway through the opening 45.
Chinonso Chibueze thought he had earned his third of the 24/25 campaign inside the final ten minutes of the first half when he saw his goal-bound strike denied by a last-ditch tackle from Rovers defender Ryan Inniss.
City extended their lead to three through Tezgel, though, as he completed his hat-trick before half-time when he latched onto an incisive ball from Sidibe before producing a chipped finish with the outside of his boot.
Seconds before the half-time whistle, Shawcross' side nearly converted a fourth when Tezgel nodded Sidibe's pinpoint set-piece towards goal only to see it clawed off the line by Pagel.
Tezgel carried his goal-scoring exploits into the fixture's second half and notched his fourth of the evening in the 49th minute when a Sidibe ball allowed Lipsiuc to find the City forward to nod home.
The Potters were within inches of a fifth just six minutes later when Sidibe galloped down the right-hand side and rattled a cross-turned-shot onto Pagel's far post before the follow-up was fired just over by Jake Griffin.
Soon after, City substitute Keke Jeffers made an immediate impact from the bench as he connected with a Sidibe corner and directed it narrowly over the hosts' goal.
Another opportunity to score fell to Chibueze with a quarter of the game remaining when the 18-year-old's cannoned effort forced a stop at full stretch from Pagel.
The hosts’ goalkeeper also denied City full-back Jaden Mears his second National League Cup strike of the season with the tie's final action.
16-year-olds Pijus Otegbayo and Oghosaiwi Enabulele were introduced during the second 45 for the young Potters, who also handed a first Under-21s appearance to 15-year-old Rocco Bardsley, son of former City defender, Phil.
Shawcross' side will now look to build on their victory when they return to action next Tuesday in their third Central League clash of the campaign at Derby County.
Stoke City: Brooks, Agina (Bardsley 81), Grogan, Griffin (Otegbayo 81), Mears, Gromek, Sidibe, Tezgel (Jeffers 60), Lipsiuc, Griffiths (Enabulele 68), Chibueze (Adekoya 68).
Forest Green Rovers: Pagel, Lavinier, Inniss, Doidge (Wilson 45), Omotoye, Jenks (Bonnick 45), Cardwell (Conteh 45), Walsh (Rout 68), Hughes (Aldridge 53), Merrett, Petrynski.