Crouch hat-trick seals progress

Peter Crouch scored a hat-trick as Stoke advanced to the third round of the EFL Cup by sweeping aside League Two Stevenage 4-0 at the Lamex Stadium.

The former England striker notched either side of Phil Bardsley’s brilliant 30-yard strike, before adding his third with 20 minutes left to seal a comprehensive victory for the Premier League outfit.

Mark Hughes made five changes to his Stoke side from their 4-1 defeat to Manchester City on Saturday, with Charlie Adam and Jonathan Walters playing just behind Crouch.

It took just 13 minutes for the 35-year-old to make an impact, nodding home from three yards out after a neat exchange between Marko Arnautovic and Joe Allen had carved open the Stevenage defence.

Crouch came close to a second on 20 minutes, heading narrowly wide from Arnautovic’s whipped cross from the left-hand …

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