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Wrexham take second-half lead at Britannia

Arnautovic levels with 10 minutes remaining

Stephen Ireland double seals win

Stoke into Monday's fourth-round draw

Non-league Wrexham surrendered a second-half lead as Premier League Stoke City progressed in the FA Cup.

The Conference side - 97 places below the Potters in the football pyramid - led through Mark Carrington's header, sending 5,000 travelling fans wild.

But Marko Arnautovic tapped in when substitute Peter Crouch was denied and another replacement - Stephen Ireland - drove in from 18 yards.

Ireland added a third with a powerful finish as Stoke reached round four.

The Potters - a comfortable 11th in the Premier League - look well placed to target a cup run with no obvious threat of relegation from the top flight.

But a repeat of their 2011 run to Wembley looked in jeopardy against a side known for their own FA Cup exploits until Mark Hughes's introduction of Crouch paid dividends as he created two quick-fire goals.

Mark Carrington gave Wrexham the lead on 73 minutes but they conceded three late goals

Hughes, a three-time FA Cup winner as a player, is Wrexham born and knew all about his opponents' cup pedigree.

The Welsh side claimed the scalps of Arsenal, Ipswich and Middlesbrough in the '90s and although they are now in a seventh straight season outside the Football League, arrived at the Britannia in confident mood, with one defeat in eight.

Mickey Thomas' FA Cup wonder goal

With an army of their supporters making the 40-mile trip to fill Stoke's South Stand, Kevin Wilkin's side showed energy and discipline to shut down space in a first half devoid of chances.

Their 20-year-old on-loan goalkeeper Jonathan Flatt excelled and in just his fourth senior appearance brilliantly denied Crouch an opener in the second period, tipping a header over the bar.

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It was a first serious threat from Stoke, who looked disjointed having made seven changes, and when Dragons' midfielder Wes York curled a 25-yard effort against the crossbar the away contingent sensed an upset.

It appeared to have arrived moments later when Carrington connected with Connor Jennings's right-wing cross to power a header into the bottom corner - but dreams of a first fourth-round appearance since 2000 were short-lived.

Never in doubt Stoke have met Wrexham 16 times and won on 15 occasions

Crouch muscled space in the box and when Flatt - who now returns to Wolves - saved his effort, Arnautovic could not miss.

Ireland too profited from Crouch's efforts as the tall centre forward executed a perfect knockdown for the midfielder to score with a low drive from 18 yards.

The Irishman's second was more intricate as an exchange of passes around the edge of the area afforded the ex-Manchester City player time to pick his spot and send the 2011 runners-up into Monday's draw.

Stoke City manager Mark Hughes: "At 1-0, I thought we were going out to be perfectly honest. We didn't play anything like we should have done and credit to Wrexham, they were excellent.

"In the end we got away wit it. We made changes at the end to try to get some craft into our play and thankfully Stephen Ireland took the game away from them.

"It's been a tough period for everybody and I think I have 17 or 18 players I can call upon. I was hoping I didn't have to use the likes of Peter Crouch and Jonathan Walters but felt we needed to in the end."

Wrexham manager Kevin Wilkin: "I am very proud but there is a lot of disappointment in the dressing room.

"It is a difficult one to take when we have gone as close as we have. We are proud of what we did but it is tinged with a bit of disappointment that we haven't got at least a replay."

An estimated 5,000 Wrexham fans made the trip to Stoke

Wrexham goalkeeper Jonathan Flatt, 20, had just four senior appearances to his name before kick-off

Mark Carrington's header was just his second goal in 26 appearances this season

Stephen Ireland (centre) came off the bench to find the net twice in the closing stages