Stoke end 30-year wait to reach League Cup quarter-finals

Stoke reached the League Cup quarter-finals for the first time in 30 years after brushing aside Rotherham 2-0 on Tuesday.

Not content with confounding the critics who claimed Stoke would endure a miserable season in the Premier League, Tony Pulis's side are now within two wins of a Wembley finals thanks to goals from Glenn Whelan and Danny Pugh at the Britannia Stadium.

Pulis made nine changes to the team who drew against Wigan at the weekend, but Stoke were on top from the start. They created the first opening of the match with Whelan driving just over the crossbar from 20 yards.

Soon after Whelan curled a free kick into the box, but Ryan 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' 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.

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.

Pulis sent on Amdy Faye for Seyi 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 made no mistake of the chance to guide his low shot past Warrington.