Goals from Joey Gudjonsson and Elvis Hammond could not prevent City from slipping to a disappointing 3-2 defeat at Stoke on Friday evening.

The visitors looked in control for long periods and could have gone further ahead following Hammond's third goal of the season after the break which made it 2-1.

But they could not capitalise on their dominance and were made to pay when the Potters netted twice inside three minutes thanks to headers from Mamady Sidibe and Sam Bangoura to secure the three points.

It was rough justice on the Foxes who played the better football but Lady Luck once again eluded them and they returned home pointless.

The hosts were forced into a change even before kick-off when Luke Chadwick picked up a knock in the warm-up which meant a start for Peter Sweeney with former Fox Kevin Harper coming on to the bench.

City were the first to show when Gudjonsson saw his shot from just inside the area blocked by captain Michael Duberry.

Then on three minutes Paul Gallagher's free-kick from 20-yards out was stopped by Richard Stearman.

On 13 minutes some excellent play down the left from Ryan Smith resulted in Iain Hume putting his shot over the bar from distance.

The visitors were handed a let-off on four minutes later when Sidibe's effort from eight-yards out flew wide of Rab Douglas' left hand upright.

And they made the Potters pay in the 21st minute thanks to  Gudjonsson's sixth goal of the campaign.

Hume touched a free-kick to the Icelandic international, before he spun away from his marker and unleashed an unstoppable shot from 30-yards into the bottom right-hand corner past a hapless Steve Simonsen.

The Foxes almost doubled their lead soon after when Patrick Kisnorbo's header from Smith's free-kick drifted just wide.

Gudjonsson again came close on 27 minutes then Darel Russell fired over four minutes later.

But the home side did draw level in the 34th minute through a Paul Gallagher penalty.

Douglas was adjudged to have brought down Sam Bangoura inside the area and referee Iain Williamson had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

After Gallagher was ordered to retake the spot-kick, he again made no mistake to draw Stoke level.

Douglas was handed a yellow card for the foul while Kisnorbo was also booked for protesting afterwards.

Gallagher tested Douglas soon after but this time the Scot was equal to the task.

Smith's corner was scrambled off the line in the 40th minute then Hume's header from Gudjonsson's teasing cross lacked power and Simonsen gathered comfortably.

On the stroke of half-time, Hume was again in the thick of the action when he touched the ball over after Momo Sylla's cross.

However, the two teams could not be separated at the break.

But the Foxes did restore their advantage on 47 minutes.

Hume fed strike partner Elvis Hammond, and after a defensive slip, the hitman drove the ball home from the right-hand angle to make it 2-1.

Gudjonsson became the third City player to be booked two minutes later following a foul before Bangoura headed straight at Douglas.

Bangoura let fly from the angle on 58 minutes but his shot failed to trouble Douglas.

The visitors nearly put themselves two goals clear five minutes later when the in-form Gudjonsson rattled the bar with a dipping shot from 30-yards which left Simonsen with no chance.

Stoke made their first change in the 64th minute when Sweeney made way for Hannes Sigurdsson.

Hume curled his effort narrowly wide on 67 minutes after cutting in from the left-hand side.

The Foxes continued to pour forward in numbers as they looked to increase their lead and it was the turn of Smith to go agonisingly close in the 73rd minute.

Hume found the nippy winger but he put his curling shot just wide.

And the visitors were made to pay a minute later when Sidibe met Dave Brammer's right-wing cross and placed his header past the diving Douglas for the leveller.

Then against the run of play, the home side unbelievably went 3-2 ahead on 77 minutes through Bangoura who headed home unchallenged a pinpoint cross from inside the area.

Stearman was cautioned for a foul in the 80th minute.

As City looked to salvage something out of the game manager Craig Levein made a double change with Gareth Williams and Mark de Vries replacing Stearman and Hammond on 84 minutes.

Karl Henry came on for goalscorer Gallagher in the dying moments before Sylla forced Simonsen into a save with his legs in stoppage time before the keeper saved again from Dublin.   

City: Douglas, Stearman (Williams 84), Dublin ©, Gerrbrand, Maybury, Sylla, Kisnorbo, Gudjonsson, Smith, Hammond (De Vries 84), Hume. Subs not used: Tiatto, Johansson, Hamill.

Stoke: Simonsen, Hoefkens, Broomes, Duberry ©, Buxton, Russell, Gallagher (Henry 89), Sidibe, Sweeney (Sigurdsson 64), Brammer, Bangoura. Subs not used: De Goey, Harper, Junior.

Yellow Cards

City: Douglas (34), Kisnorbo (35), Gudjonsson (49), Stearman (80)

Stoke: Russell (90)

Attendance: 11,129

Referee: Iain Williamson (Berks)