Wolves remained deep in relegation trouble after Stoke cruised to victory at the Britannia Stadium.

Kenwyne Jones opened the scoring when he headed in Jermaine Pennant's right-wing cross from close range.

Ryan Shawcross added a second, tapping in from inside the six-yard area, before Pennant made it 3-0 with a deflected shot from about eight yards.

Stoke's night was marred by an injury to winger Matthew Etherington who went off on a stretcher in the first half.

If he misses the FA Cup final on 14 May it will be a major blow for the club and hugely unfair on a player who been integral in Stoke's development as a Premier League side.

But both before and after the enforced 31st-minute substitution, the Potters were easily the better side.

They took the lead after only 16 minutes. Pennant, who deserves to be in the running for the club's player of the year, was found on the right by Jones before delicately clipping the ball back for the Trinidadian to head home.

Stoke had gone close before the goal when Pennant delivered a corner from the left which defender Robert Huth poked wide under pressure from Richard Stearman.

Wolves keeper Wayne Hennessey then made three fantastic saves to keep the deficit to one goal.

The Wales international first palmed away a fierce angled half-volley from Andy Wilkinson and then produced a great block to keep out substitute Dean Whitehead's shot.

Finally, he tipped over Shawcross's header, but the Stoke defender did manage to beat Hennessey on the stroke of half-time.

Pennant's corner to the edge of the area found Glenn Whelan and his mis-hit shot was diverted into the net by Shawcross for his first league goal in 16 months.

Six minutes after the break, Stoke were 3-0 ahead, and it was Pennant this time.

He was found by Jon Walters's cross from the right and the winger hit a shot that took a huge deflection off Jody Craddock and looped over the reach of Hennessey.

Even with about 40 minutes remaining, there was no way back for a rudderless Wolves side.

Their only effort on goal in the first half had come via a scuffed effort from Michael Kightly.

They improved marginally as an attacking threat in the second half, with Christophe Berra heading over from six yards and Stephen Ward having an overhead kick from close range blocked by Stoke's underworked defence.

Their display lacked all the tenacity and bite expected from a Mick McCarthy side and if they play like this in their final four games they will wave goodbye to the Premier League.

Date of match:
Tuesday, 26 April 2011

Results:
{H} Stoke (3): Jones 16, Shawcross 45+1, Pennant 51
{A} Wolverhampton (0): -