Stoke City slipped to a 2-1 defeat at Preston North End in their latest pre-season outing.
Cresswell effort not enough for Stoke
Stoke City slipped to a 2-1 defeat at Preston North End in their latest pre-season outing.
Two goals from Neil Mellor helped Preston to the victory with Richard Cresswell's late strike against his old club not enough for Stoke.
The Potters missed a great chance to break the deadlock after just nine minutes when Liam Lawrence saw his penalty superbly saved by Andy Lonergan.
Preston made Stoke pay for that miss just past the half hour mark when Mellor scored from close-range after a mistake by Thomas Sorensen.
Stoke debutant Dean Whitehead wasted a great chance to score on 34 minutes when he blasted over from just six yards out.
Former Liverpool striker Mellor doubled the lead two minutes before the break when he cut inside two Stoke defenders and poked his shot past Sorensen at his near post.
Stoke pulled a goal back 12 minutes from time when Cresswell headed home from Rory Delap's trademark long throw-in.
The visitors piled forward in the closing stages in search of an equaliser, but Preston held on for the win.
