USA INTERNATIONAL striker Teal Bunbury scored for Stoke reserves – but couldn't stop them losing 3-1 to Wigan at Clayton Wood in yesterday's reserve friendly, writes Michael Baggaley.

The 20-year-old Kansas City Wizards hit-man is training with Stoke during the MLS close-season.

The pacy 6ft striker produced a cool finish to fire City into a first-half lead. However, Bunbury, who made his debut for the USA last month, will reflect that he could have had a Stoke hat-trick to show for his efforts after repeatedly finding space behind the Wigan defence in the first 45 minutes.

Stoke also gave a debut to Swedish defender Smajl Suljevic after he signed for the club this week.

The 16-year-old, who is a first-year apprentice in the Academy, produced a steady performance in the centre of defence after being brought on for the second half.

City dominated the opening half, even though they went in level at 1-1 after Bunbury's 23rd-minute opener was equalised by Daniel Redmond's 29th-minute free-kick.

But City's experienced first-team line-up made way for a largely Academy side in the second, and duly paid the price as a Wigan side featuring senior stars Gary Caldwell, Daniel de Ridder and striker Mario Boselli eased to victory.

Bunbury couldn't have asked for better service in the first half when he was played in front of deep-lying striker Eidur Gudjohnsen.

But Bunbury carved out his own chance on seven minutes when he pounced on a loose ball, raced into the area, but saw his low strike blocked by the onrushing keeper.

Tom Soares and Gudjohnsen combined to set up Bunbury three minutes later, but the striker's 16-yard drive was smothered by the keeper.

And Bunbury must have suspected it wasn't going to be his day on 17 minutes when he fired too close to the keeper, having been freed by a clever through-ball from Gudjohnsen.

But he finally found the net in the 23rd minute when he latched on to Gudjohnsen's inch-perfect pass, sprinted clear of the defence, and drilled his shot low past the keeper.

City were pegged back six minutes later when they conceded a free kick on the edge of the area and midfielder Redmond curled a left-footed effort beyond Carlo Nash and into the top corner.

Boselli sent one second-half effort into the side of his team bus parked behind the goal before suffering more frustration on 61 minutes when he was denied by a fine save from Nash. But Wigan finally took the lead on 67 minutes when Callum McManaman slalomed through the defence before finishing with a cool finish past substitute keeper Dave Parton.

Wigan clinched victory on 75 minutes when Boselli beat the offside trap and rounded Parton to slot home their third.

TEAMS

Stoke City (first half): Nash, Roberts-Nurse, Shotton, Higginbotham, Wint, Soares, Wilson, Whelan, Musungu, Gudjohnsen, Bunbury.

Stoke City: (second half): Nash (Parton), Roberts-Nurse (Clarkson), Suljevic, Wint, Hall, Agbaje, Richardson, Dawson, Mitchell, Musungu (Bossman), Bunbury.