A more comfortable win than Stoke probably expected. A goal in each half for Stoke saw off a Cardiff side who had only one shot on target. Tyrese was a nuisance, but when isn’t he? Stoke climb the table, and about time. Here’s how the game unfolded in real time:
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Cardiff will be desperate to pick off another struggling side, as they have done in their last 2 away games (luckless Luton & Huddersfield). Sounds like Preston, 2 games ago, who gained another struggler-scalp winning 2-0 and leaving Stoke without anyone down the left (namely McClean & Verlinden). To cope with this, Michael O’Neill plays an unchanged side to the 2-4 debacle vs QPR, but brings in fragile but lefty Josh Tymon to the bench. It’s not inspiring, but we will see…:
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3.30 Long throw number one from Will Vaulks. Where have we seen this before??
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5.30 Brilliant Clucas through ball is inch-perfect for Tyrese, but hit right at keeper Smithies. Powell then trips over his own feet for the rebound. Sublime to the ridiculous!
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8.43 Powell tries to protest like McClean, but the ref explains to him that he can’t get away with that as he’s nothing like James. Does James swear in Gaelic or something?? How does he normally get away with it? #mystery
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12.42 First ejection from the away end, greeted with a “time-to-go” song. So much for the place being like a library…
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19.21 The regular rocket-that-goes-straight-past-the-post from Ince…a yard wide, but hit with more venom than usual.
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21.47 & don’t we have ball boys anymore? James Chester has to run quite a way to retrieve the ball for a Stoke throw.
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24.52 1-0 !! Stoke score from a corner from Jordan Thompson…and it’s claimed by Powell off his side as he stumbles over…but more likely it’s an own goal from dozy Callum Paterson. Cal, you’re going to have to do better than that!
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30.42 Tyrese’s legs not quite long enough for through-lob. Grow up, lad!
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45+1 HT Stoke lead 1-0 in an otherwise unremarkable game.
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Attendance is a whopping 25,436! Even looks like it. Must be a reduced entry for kids game.
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50.47 A poor clearance by Capt Morrison allows Clucas to set up Tyrese again, but his first touch is weak, and his shot is just wide.
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57.15 Cardiff players, with the dodgiest beards in the league, being harried merciously by Stoke, win a corner. Jack comes a long way (as far as Fenton, approx) to grab it, but takes out Chester on the way. James doesn’t seem too bothered though, good lad. Meanwhile Batth clatters another player at the other end, and play has to stop as he’s bleeding too much. Physio smears his nose with gel, much to his disgust.
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66.05 Camera catches Rory Delap on sidelines taking notes! Is he writing up that long-throw technique.
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67.45 Tyrese caught from behind on a break, but ref doesn’t see it!! Right in front of the managers…we’ll hear more about that. Jack has to kick the ball out for Tyrese to get treatment.
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69.32 As Jordan Thompson is tripped, ref is jeered for giving the right decision this time. Jordan, who played left wing against QPR last week, makes his home starting debut as defensive midfielder, with Powell inexplicably thinking he’s a left winger…!
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71.10 2-0 !! Powell battles down that left he’s so good at (!) and Tyrese has 2 shots blocked by keeper Smithies, before Joe Allen steals Tyrese’s thunder and pokes home. The ball looked stuck under the keeper’s body. Now, can Stoke hang on…like they didn’t last week…
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73.03 Tyrese bursts through and brings out a finger tipped save from Smithies! He has the look of a man who has been robbed of his goal (by Allen, namely).
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77.45 Powell booked for running into a dawdling Cardiff midfielder. Really?
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79.00 Jack has to tip over a shot for a corner (that he then punches away). It’s as much as he’s really had to do all day. In bright yellow and bright orange boots & gloves, you can’t really miss him.
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80.40 Jordan Cousins on for yellowed Powell. The other Jordan, Thompson, slips to the left, as Cousins takes over in the middle…bit of a risk, that?
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84.12 Thompson replaced by Nathan Collins.
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86.45 Clucas dragged down when there was 2 vs 2. Boy, is he not pleased.
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89.01 Lee Gregory on for Tyrese.
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90+5 Despite Cardiff trying too little too late, it finishes Stoke 2 Cardiff 0.
