Stoke produced an inspired second-half performance to defeat Scunthorpe and climb to the top of the Coca-Cola Championship table for the first time this season.

The visitors had led 2-0 at half-time after Martin Paterson scored in the seventh minute and on-loan Liverpool defender Jack Hobbs headed home a second in the 23rd minute.

But Stoke midfielder Liam Lawrence (53 and 67) netted either side of Richard Cresswell's 63rd-minute strike to ensure the Potters took the points and leapfrogged Watford into top spot.

Tony Pulis' side made a positive start to the match and came close in the second minute but Ryan Shawcross could only head a Lawrence corner straight at Scunthorpe goalkeeper Joe Murphy.

Yet it was the visitors who took a surprise lead in the seventh minute through Paterson.

Midfielder Matt Sparrow broke down the right flank and delivered a dangerous cross into the penalty area.

Paterson evaded his marker and volleyed the ball past Stoke goalkeeper Steve Simonsen and into the bottom-left corner of the net.

Shawcross had a good chance in the 21st minute but he curled his shot from just outside the penalty area just over the crossbar.

Nigel Adkins' side doubled their advantage two minutes later through Hobbs.

An outswinging Ian Morris corner from the left was met by the head of Hobbs and he directed the ball past Simonsen from inside the six-yard box.

Stoke applied the pressure for the remainder of the half and would have pulled a goal back in the 30th minute but for the heroics of Murphy in the Scunthorpe goal.

A dangerous outswinging corner from Lawrence from the right was met by the head of Rory Delap and seemed destined for the back of the net, but Murphy produced a brilliant save to parry the ball to safety.

Stoke began the second half in determined fashion and pulled a goal back eight minutes after the restart through Lawrence.

The Scunthorpe defence failed to deal with a long throw from Delap and Lawrence seized on the loose ball before he smashed it into the bottom-right corner of the net from close range.

Stoke equalised in the 63rd minute with a controversial goal from Cresswell.

Potters striker Ricardo Fuller seemed to bring a ball which had crossed the touchline back into play before he delivered it into the penalty area.

The Scunthorpe players appealed to the referee but Cresswell made no mistake and volleyed the ball past Murphy to level.

Stoke's remarkable turnaround was complete in the 67th minute when Lawrence struck his second of the match to give his side the lead.

Fuller was again the supplier after he found space on the left flank and picked out Lawrence whose low powerful shot from just inside the penalty area flew past Murphy.

Scunthorpe pressed in the rest of the match but were unable to find an equaliser and remain at the bottom of the table.

Teams

Stoke Simonsen, Griffin, Shawcross, Cort, Pugh, Lawrence,Diao (Cresswell 54), Whelan, Delap, Sidibe, Fuller (Zakuani 90).

Subs Not Used: Hoult, Parkin, Gallagher.

Goals: Lawrence 53, Cresswell 63, Lawrence 67.

Scunthorpe Murphy, Butler, Hobbs, Crosby, Williams,Sparrow (May 90), Goodwin, Cork, Morris (Forte 83),Horsfield (Hayes 51), Paterson.

Subs Not Used: Lillis, Iriekpen.

Booked: Butler, Goodwin.

Goals: Paterson 7, Hobbs 23.

Att: 20,979

Ref: Graham Laws (Tyne & Wear).