Showing posts with label Potters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Potters. Show all posts

Stoke 2-0 Wigan


Goals from Ricardo Fuller and James Beattie gave Stoke a comfortable win which saw them move above Wigan and into 11th in the Premier League table.
The match only sprang into life in the 69th minute when Fuller's persistence saw him evade three defenders and fire past Latics goalkeeper Richard Kingson. 
Beattie sealed victory soon after when he headed in Matt Etherington's cross. 
Wigan, without a win in seven games, struggled to respond and Fuller almost headed home a third goal late on. 
The home side's solid performance underlined the progress they have made in their first year in the Premier League.
With the Potters' safety already guaranteed, their 10th league win of the season at the Britannia Stadium means they approach their final game of the campaign Arsenal next week with a chance of securing a top-half finish. 
Wigan will end the season with much less optimism, and the inability to score that is the root of their problems was again apparent here.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis:

"We are absolutely delighted to have won here for the supporters, who have been fantastic.

Stoke: Sorensen, Shawcross, Abdoulaye Faye, Cort (Pugh 46), Wilkinson, Lawrence, Delap, Whelan, Etherington (Diao 76), Beattie (Cresswell 86), Fuller.

Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Olofinjana, Kelly, Tonge.

Goals: Fuller 69, Beattie 76. 

Wigan: Kingson, Melchiot, Boyce, Bramble, Figueroa (Edman 81), Scharner, Cho (Watson 58), Brown (Mido 73), Cattermole, N'Zogbia, Rodallega. 
Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Koumas, De Ridder, McManaman. 

Att: 25,641 
Ref: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).
www.bbc.co.uk

Stoke City – Wigan Athletic



This will be the game between two clubs from middle of the table, with the same number of points. Potters were moved into Championship, even before the season start. Team without a leader and the big names was declared as luck in quality. But, with fighting attitude and frenetic crowd at their Brittania Stadium, they made solid record and Saturday's 2-1 win at Hull guaranteed that they would retain their place in the Premier League next year. Stoke has a strong and very well organized defense line and they’re very dangerous from set-plays (who said Delap?). They have just one defeat from last eight home games(West Ham United, 0-1). And very interesting data is, Stoke didn’t lost at home from a bottom-half club. Their four home losses have been against Manchester United, Chelsea, Everton and West Ham. Now, they’ll play without a pressure, just for fans. Tony Pulis has all team available, except on-loan striker Henri Camara, who is ineligible to face his parent club. Full-back Andy Wilkinson is likely to be involved, after having sugar injections (hm…what?) as a remedy for a slight back strain. Excellent performances at home ground set Potters as the favorites, today. 

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Wigan is finishing a very good season. Steve Bruce did an excellent job at the club who was at one moment (at the end of previous year), even contender for European competition, next year. Then club’s management sold Heskey and Palacios, clearly announced avoiding relegation as a main season objective. Bruce had a lots of problems with motivating his players in the previous weeks. But in the last game, against Manchester United at home, lads responded well. Wigan took a lead, but first Tevez and five minutes before the end Michael Carrick scored and left Wigan empty handed. Now, additional problem for Bruce is how to rest players for just three days. It is clear, visitors are in a bad shape with five defeats from last six competitive games and a draw (Bolton, at home 0-0), three away defeats in a row. Goalkeeper Chris Kirkland missed the United match because of a back injury and Richard Kingson is set to deputise for him again. Prince of Egypt, Amr Zaki is in doubt, while the rest of crew is available.

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This game won’t decide too much. Both clubs will stay where they are. For home side this game is enjoy, for visitors one less before summer holiday. Hosts are in excellent mood, visitors feel tired and indifferent. I expect another home win, with a storming from the crowd. Pinnacle offers 2.31, 888sport 2.25. Home win.

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Hull City 1-2 Stoke


Stoke secured their Premier League status courtesy of a win that increased Hull's own relegation worries. 
Ricardo Fuller swivelled and shot Stoke ahead after a Liam Lawrence corner had ricocheted into his path. 
Kevin Kilbane had a shot palmed round the post for Hull, who were rescued by the woodwork when Glenn Whelan's shot struck the angle of the goal. 
But Lawrence powered in a 25-yarder to confirm Stoke's win, even though Hull's Andy Dawson scored a late free-kick. 
Stoke can celebrate an impressive achievement considering their resources and a season in which they started as one of the favourites for relegation. 
Hull were grouped with them as strong contenders to go straight back down to the Championship after promotion - a seemingly unlikely prospect after their promising start to the season.

But one win in 19 Premier League games has seen the Tigers slide down the table and, although they have managed to stay out of the clutches of the bottom three all season, their form suggests that may not be the case for much longer.

Hull: Myhill, Ricketts, Turner, Zayatte (Geovanni 67), Dawson, Garcia (Mendy 60), Boateng, Kilbane, Barmby, Fagan, Cousin (Manucho 60).
Subs Not Used: Duke, Hughes, Halmosi, Marney. 
Goals: Dawson 90. 

Stoke: Sorensen, Wilkinson, Shawcross, Abdoulaye Faye, Cort, Lawrence, Delap, Whelan, Etherington (Pugh 85), Beattie (Cresswell 78), Fuller (Kelly 90).
Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Olofinjana, Camara, Sonko. 
Booked: Etherington. 
Goals: Fuller 41, Lawrence 73. 

Att: 24,932 
Ref: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).
www.bbc.co.uk