Goals from Milan Smit and Bae Junho in a disastrous final 10 minutes have given Stoke City a 2-0 half-time lead over the Blues at the bet365 Stadium.

Town made two changes from the side which drew 1-1 at home with Leicester at the weekend with Jack Taylor and Jack Clarke coming into the team for Dan Neil and Marcelino Nunez, who missed out due to a hamstring injury. Neil dropped to the bench with Ben Johnson back among the subs.

Stoke made five changes from the team which lost 2-0 at Swansea at the weekend with former Colchester right-back Junior Tchamadeu making his first start since suffering an injury while at the Africa Cup of Nations with Cameroon.

Maksym Talovierov returned at centre-half, while Tomas Rigo was in midfield and forwards Million Manhoef and Smit also came back into the XI.

Sorba Thomas missed out following his red card against the Swans with captain Ben Wilmot, who suffered a season-ending injury at the weekend, and Ben Pearson, who was ill, also among 12 senior players absent, along with ex-Blues left-back Aaron Cresswell. Ben Gibson, Steven Nzonzi and Lamine Cisse dropped to the bench.

Defender Ashley Phillips, 20, who is on loan from Tottenham, captained for the first time, while the bench featured four U21s players, Syd Agina, Pijus Otegbayo, Jerome Osei and Chinonso Chibueze.

Town won an early corner but in typically windy bet365 Stadium conditions the home side were first to threaten in the fifth minute, Junho breaking away on the left and playing inside to Rigo, whose low shot was saved with his knee by Christian Walton. The ball came back out to Smit but his effort scuffed through to the Blues keeper.

Walton required treatment two minutes later when Tchamadeu broke into the area on the right and slid in on the keeper as he claimed. The ex-Colchester man seemed to come off worse but both were able to continue after a handshake.

The Blues had started slowly with the home side taking the game to them but in the 16th minute Ivan Azon fed Wes Burns wide on the right and the Wales international’s low cross was diverted out for a corner.

Following the flag-kick, which was very deep due to the windy conditions, Burns fed Leif Davis just outside the area and the left-back hit a shot which deflected wide.

In the wake of that corner, Burns sent the ball back in to Kipre at the far post and the Ivorian headed against the outside of the woodwork.

Stoke were next to threaten, Junho cutting in from the left and hitting a shot which Walton palmed behind.

Town claimed a penalty in the 24th minute, Azon cutting in from the left and shooting against Clarke, the ball also appearing to strike Talovierov’s arm. Referee Thomas Kirk showed no interest and Davis scuffed a subsequent effort wide.

A minute later, Azon headed wide at the near post from a Davis corner, the wind holding the ball up as it came across.

Neither side threatened again until the 36th minute when Stoke took the lead. Davis played the ball down the left to Azon, who was furious Talovierov shoved him off the ball.

The Ukrainian brought it forward and fed Manhoef, who was initially tackled by Kipre, Town ambitiously claiming it was handled by the Dutchman, before he nutmegged the defender, then hit a shot which slammed off the post to the edge of the box. Rigo scuffed the rebound but Smit turned it home from close range with Town claiming offside but with replays showing they had no argument.

Clarke was booked on 41 for a frustrated trip on Tchamadeu as the right-back burst towards the final third in space.

And three minutes later, Town’s first half got even worse. A free-kick was played from the edge of the area out to Taylor, who lost out to Rigo, who quickly moved it on to Junho, who confidently slammed past Walton to the delight of the home fans and the horror of the Blues midfielder lying prone on the deck.

That was the last of the half with the Town team looking shell-shocked after a disastrous end to the period.

Having started poorly, the Blues got themselves on top and had chances to go in front, but after conceding the first Stoke goal, which came from a litany of errors, and, as in the games against Charlton, Sheffield United and Leicester earlier in the season, quickly gave away another goal.

Town were probably fortunate half-time came when it did, allowing manager Kieran McKenna to restore some composure ahead of what’s set to be a very big half if the Blues are to get themselves back into the match.

Stoke: Simkin, Tchamadeu, Bocat, Phillips, Talovierov, Rigo, Seko, Rak-Sakyi, Manhoef, Junho, Smit. Subs: Fielding, Agina, Otegbayo, Gibson, Kelly, Nzonzi, Osei, Chibueze, Cisse.

Ipswich: Walton, Furlong, O’Shea, Kipre, Davis, Matusiwa, Taylor, Burns, Mehmeti, Clarke, Azon. Subs: Palmer, Johnson, Greaves, Neil, Cajuste, McAteer, Walle Egeli, Akpom, Hirst. Referee: Thomas Kirk (Cheshire).

Photo: Matchday Images