1-0, min. 2, Koumas. 2-0, min. 14, Moran. 2-1, min. 50, Wells. 2-2, min. 52, Wells.
Stoke City and Bristol City shared the points as Nahki Wells scored two goals in two second-half minutes at the bet365 Stadium.
The Potters made an emphatic start to this Championship tie as Lewis Koumas scored with an acrobatic finish before 21-year-old Andrew Moran claimed the second after shoddy defending from the visitors doubled Stoke’s lead.
First-half dominance from the hosts made it hard to believe that Bristol City would get the chance of a comeback, but Chris Hogg's side came out sharp as Wells scored just five minutes after the restart.
He later got himself a brace and was on for a hat-trick just two minutes later after a rash defensive mistake from Michael Rose meant that the forward scored his third goal of the season.
An unsatisfying first-half for Bristol City proved to be one full of success for Stoke, but more could have come from the hosts.
Their most notable chance came just 30 seconds into the game after a cut-back from Bae Junho found Eric Bocat - returning to the side after Stoke's 1-1 draw with Norwich City last time out - but his shot was saved by Robins keeper Max O'Leary.
The visitors had chances of their own, though, as Rose made a vital block on 16 minutes which came from dangerous link-up play between Anis Mehmeti and Jason Knight.
Viktor Johansson kept Stoke in the game from the start, and an earlier flicked header from Wells off a corner was saved excellently.
Stoke now go into 15th place as Bristol City progress by just one league position into ninth.
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Story of the Match
Narcis Pelach’s side got stuck into the game as soon as it commenced and after just 90 seconds it was Koumas who opened the scoring.
Bocat picked the ball up on the left before he crossed to Tom Cannon at the far post.
Cannon, who scored four goals for his side in their 6-1 victory against Portsmouth at the start of the month, headed the ball down for Koumas which set the Liverpool loanee up for an acrobatic finish.
Things soon got worse for the visitors as Moran scored his second goal of the season in a moment of disarray from Bristol City just 12 minutes later.
Million Manhoef got ahold of the ball in the middle of the pitch before playing an accurately weighted ball to Koumas on the left.
The 19-year-old, who looked to have had a shot, instead dragged the ball across the face of goal to Moran.
The 21-year-old, who is currently on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion, hit the ball first time before it ricochetted off Robins keeper O'Leary and into his teammate Max Bird, which subsequently ended up in the Bristol City net.
But five minutes after the interval it was the visiting side who came out sharper as Wells scored twice in two minutes to get the game level.
Both goals were from inept play, and the Potters showed a real lack of efficiency from back to front after the break.
Wells' first came from a corner which was taken quickly and crossed by Joe Williams with Cannon the player to get a slight flick on the ball at the front post.
Then, as Johansson came off his line, the ball trickled through the mix inside the box to the in-form forward at the back post for an easy tap-in finish.
The visitors didn't stop there, though.
On the attack again, Hogg's side showed aggression as Bird popped the ball through to substitute George Earthy inside the box.
It looked to be under control by Rose but he made a huge mistake when he hit the ball towards Wells in what looked to be an attempt to clear it.
Wells, who was already past the line of defence, tapped it into the back of the net and past Johansson to level the scoring.
Johansson keeps Potters in a close encounter
Despite Stoke's second-half fumbling of their lead, it was an incredible performance from goalkeeper Johansson.
The 26-year-old found himself saving his side plenty of times from further punishment after two goals in two minutes from forward Wells.
His best bundle of saves came just after the hour when Knight got on the end of a cross from a corner but his first time effort was outclassed by Johansson's low save.
He then made a double save just four minutes after when Bird, threatening throughout the tie, played Earthy through on goal before he was denied.
However, the ball came flying back to Mark Sykes who had a diving header also pushed away by the Stoke goalkeeper to deny the visitors once again.
Johansson's fine form didn't start late in the game either, in the opening half it was him again who made emphatic saves to deny a potentially earlier comeback.
Wells was played through by Ross McCrorie before his left-footed effort was saved strongly and Bird had an impressive effort from range saved in picturesque fashion.
