Sorba Thomas makes his own luck as Stoke ease past Charlton

Sorba Thomas netted a bizarre brace for Stoke as the Potters moved back into the automatic promotion places with a 3-0 win over Charlton.

Thomas’ pair of first-half goals from what appeared to be crosses sandwiched Million Manhoef’s fifth goal of the season as Mark Robins’ side cruised to a first victory in three.

The Potters had been handed back-to-back defeats by Coventry and Leicester in their previous two outings but returned to winning ways in style.

It was a familiar story for Nathan Jones, who saw his side go 4-0 down inside 22 minutes against former club Southampton on Saturday.

Facing another one of the Welshman’s former employers in Stoke, the Addicks found themselves 3-0 down inside 35 minutes at the Bet365 Stadium.

Thomas opened the scoring inside three minutes with a cross-come-shot that evaded the outstretched hand of Thomas Kaminski and flew into the top corner.

Two minutes later the Wales international played in Manhoef, setting up a three-on-two for the home side which the Dutchman duly finished by cutting inside and picking out the bottom corner.

Thomas was causing Charlton’s backline a world of problems and could have netted a second when he beat Kaminski to Junior Tchamadeu’s forward pass, but could not latch on to the knock down.

The winger then delivered another vicious cross into the Charlton box which was almost met by the head of Ashley Phillips.

The third came 11 minutes before half-time when Thomas’ inswinging cross from the left slipped under the luckless Kaminski and into the back of the net.

Charlton mustered just one, audacious shot from Sonny Carey in the first half, but Miles Leaburn tested Viktor Johansson shortly after the break as he turned and shot following Lloyd Jones’ header.

Luke Berry was making his first start of the season for Charlton and he could have reduced the arrears when he volleyed Tyreece Campbell’s cross wide.

After a quiet start to the second half for the hosts, Eric Bocat dragged his shot wide before Manhoef played in Tchamadeu, who stung the palms of Kaminski.

Thomas also blazed over as he went in search of a hat-trick.

Robert Bozenik had failed to find the net for Stoke since his summer move from Boavista but came close to adding a fourth when he curled his effort past the post.

Berry tested Johansson for the second time, but the Swede held on comfortably as Stoke recorded their seventh clean sheet of their league campaign.