Joint manager Pete Gartrell has often produced teams whose attractive football has been at the expense of battling qualities and while this current Stoke squad has never seemed to lack fight, both were absent from the majority of this fixture which saw the Railwaymen exit this season's Devon Premier Cup at the quarter final stage to a Plymstock side whose desire and belief belied their recent run of poor form during which they had scored only three times in their last six matches. Preparation which seemed disjointed was punished within 35 seconds when Stoke failed to respond to the momentum of the first Plymstock attack and a short corner routine leading to a high looping far post cross was inadequately met by any of the home rearguard and once it had dropped at the far post, the inevitable close range scramble was always going to spell danger and it was visiting striker Joe Jasper who bundled the ball home at the second attempt. What an afternoon the teenage striker was to embark upon as his raw pace and quick feet continually saw him goalside of the home back line with only a lack of experience in how to time those runs or arguably a well drilled defensive line which saw him continually flagged offside. Stoke never really responded to this set back during the first period, they were guilty of displaying an inability to retain possession or move the ball quickly to dangerous areas and when it did arrive, support was slow to materialise and the hustle provided by the Plymstock work ethic saw possession regularly relinquished. Jasper was by now giving left back Simon Laity a torrid afternoon and the 20th minute saw him advance on goal and only an excellent save down low to his left by home custodian Chris Bashford saved further Stoke blushes. It was not until the 28th minute that a meaningful chance was created by by the home side when a Ty Hawken cross from the left was cleared to Mark Newbould whose 20 yard strike was heading for the top corner before Ben Hardie in the visitors goal appeared from nowhere to fingertip the ball around the angle. Somewhat against the way the game had developed it was Stoke who created the best chance of the half when on 32 minutes another Hawken cross found Glen Palmer whose header from six yards rattled the visitors crossbar and was cleared. Stoke's half time team talk included Martin Sutcliffe replacing Laity in the left back slot and a second half recovery ensued when, had Stoke been able to bury the chances they created they would have won the tie in normal time. As it was, the territorial advantage was turned into an equaliser when on 65 minutes, Sam Green's outstanding 25 yard curling strike found the top corner to tie the scores. Just when it now seemed Stoke would go on and secure the tie, it was Plymstock who responded within three minutes as Jasper again outpaced the Stoke rearguard and chipped the advancing Bashford to restore the visitor's lead. They say a team is most vulnerable within five minutes of having scored and as Stoke had just shown so did Plymstock as within a further three minutes Stoke were again level when Liam Collings found Kev Wills just inside the box and his inside pass found Palmer whose first touch eluded the covering defender and allowed him to shoot into the corner from ten yards. With 70 minutes gone, Stoke had every chance to once again go on and win the game but despite seeing out that time virtually camped in the visitor's half, the resolute Plymstock defence held out virtually untroubled. So to extra time and controversy emerged as Stoke returned to playing second fiddle as they had in the first half. The visitors started stronger and while chances were still few and far between, on 103 minutes another through ball for Jasper to chase was unnecessarily touched on by substitute Yates leaving the striker in a clearly offside position. However none of the officials saw the touch and the striker ran on to side foot past Bashford to complete his hat trick amidst considerable complaints from the home defence. As the sides turned round for the final 15 minutes aggrieved expectation was in the air but Plymstock soon put this to bed when on 106 minutes Jasper turned provider and it was his turn to split the Stoke rearguard for Ashley Piggott to run on and drive home from 15 yards. Two goals adrift was always going to be too high a mountain to climb and when a long ball fell to Yates in the Stoke area on 110 minutes and he toe punted home, the score was given a truly unrealistic look. After match comment seemed to accept Plymstock deserved their win and that Stoke had produced an unusually off colour performance but whether that was of their own doing or forced on them by a busy bustling performance from the new semi finalists to whcih Stoke could not respond will always remain a matter of conjecture.