Whelan helps Stoke on their way

Stoke 2 Rotherham 0: STOKE PRODUCED a convincing display to cast Rotherham aside and progress to the fifth round of the English League Cup for the first time in 30 years.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis rested most of his first-choice team last night, but still his side proved too strong for their League Two counterparts with goals from Glenn Whelan and Danny Pugh enough to send them through.

Pulis had retained just two of the starting line-up that drew 0-0 with Wigan on Saturday, with Ryan Shawcross and Seyi Olofinjana the only players to keep their place.

Rotherham do not exactly have Stoke's resources these days and were only able to leave out Omar Garcia with young striker Reuben Reid returning.

Stoke created the first opening of the match with Whelan, who orchestrated much of what was good about City, driving just over the crossbar from 20 yards.

Soon after Whelan curled a free kick into the box, but Shawcross somehow managed to miss from two yards out. The wastefulness continued when Dave Kitson put Vincent Pericard clean through only for the Cameroon striker to volley wildly over.

But after 20 minutes Stoke were ahead. Alex Rhodes's high kick on Pugh resulted in a free kick that Whelan lifted over the wall and past Andy Warrington.

Rotherham went close to an equaliser with a Nick Fenton header on the far post that just cleared Steve Simonsen's crossbar. But Stoke continued to press and after 32 minutes it took a flying save from the veteran Warrington to turn a fine effort from Richard Cresswell onto a post and behind.

Stoke went in search of a quick goal to settle the match after the break and it almost arrived when Pericard saw a low drive flash inches wide of the far post. Stoke sent on Amdy Faye for Olofinjana after 58 minutes and a minute later the hosts were two goals ahead. Kitson's pass sent Pugh racing into the box and he guided his low shot past Warrington.

STOKE: Simonsen, Wilkinson, Cort, Shawcross, Dickinson, Pugh, Whelan, Olofinjana (Amdy Faye 58), Cresswell, Kitson, Pericard (Fuller 73). Subs Not Used: Sorensen, Delap, Phillips, Sonko, Wedderburn.

ROTHERHAM: Warrington, Mills, Sharps, Fenton, Nicholas, Rhodes, Danny Harrison (Taylor 70), Cummins, Tonge, Broughton (Yates 88), Reid. Subs Not Used: Annerson, Hudson, Joseph, Green, Garcia. Booked: Reid.

Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire).