Stoke (0) 1 Birmingham (0) 1
4/10/20 3pm Chsp
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Stoke will rue conceding to Birmingham, and will see this game as 2 points dropped. But they kept fighting to the end, and gained the deserved equaliser late on to continue a binary run. Here’s how the game unfolded in real time:
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Stoke hoping to prove they aren’t a binary side (0-0, 0-0, 1-0, 0-2*, 1-0, 1-0, 1-0). Michael O’Neill makes one change (binary) from the Preston 1-0 win (binary) and build on the giant-killing win at Villa by 1-0 (binary) in the midweek. Tymon (1st league start) (binary) switches with McClean on the bench. (*= nearly binary) Former Stokie Scott Hogan sits on Birmingham’s bench.
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18.32 After Birmingham try to boss Stoke for the first quarter hour, Fox bursts out of defence, burrowing straight through the middle to slip it to Fletcher who hits a cracker that most supporters thought had gone in! (It actually hit the stantion holding up the net before rebounding behind the goal.) Sadly no premature goal-celebrating or mocking from Brum fans here today.
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26.15 Fletcher hits the bar from a free kick. The goal supports are taking a bashing from Stephen. More importantly is the competition between keepers Adam Davies and Neil Etheridge as to who has the brightest yellow kit. This is as exciting as it gets in this game.
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45.00+ 1 As the 4th official forgets to put up the time-added figure (1 minute) (binary), Gregory collides with the goal-post when it looked easier to score. Dull first half, Stoke have 62% possession.
HT City 0 City 0
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50.35 Chester slaps his hands to his head as he can’t believe his header from Clucas’ corner is tipped over. Meanwhile Oakley-Booth is clipped again. With Powell not on the pitch, Tash seems to be the target-man for unnecessary aggression today.
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54.02 Gregory and Fletcher connecting well as Lee clips one over for Fletcher to head over. They can probably see Campbell warming up on the touchline, with MON preparing to change the frontline as he regularly does at this time of the game.
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60.46 Somehow Stoke fail to score from another corner. Stoke now always look dangerous from corners. I well remember asking Gary Rowett if he practiced corners, and sarcastically he replied, “No, of course we don’t!”
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64.24 0-1 !! Just as I mention corners, Birmingham head home at the far post. Talk about smash-and-grab. Harlee Dean from a Colin corner from their right. I jinked that.
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71.35 Campbell & Powell on for Gregory and Oakley-Booth, and less than 3 minutes later Powell is clattered!!!! Predictable.
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80.30 McClean comes on to add a bit of muscle, particularly after Tymon fluffs a trap on the touchline to the disgust of MON.
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82.42 Campbell gets to the bi-line, but his cross is headed over by Fletcher. Great move, but too little too late.
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85.22 1-1 !!! Powell’s close range shot is deflected, but it creeps slowly over the line!! Great work by Campbell getting another close-range cross in from the right.
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86.50 Scott Hogan is ON!! Who can pinch a winner now??
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90+4 …no one. So it ends 1-1. Forgettable maybe, but a point is a point.
