“Thick & Fast!” – Stoke City’s 18 games so far. How many do you remember??

Stoke have crammed in 18 games so far this season, including 4 Cup games. Now they face NINE games in December! As manager Michael O’Neill keeps telling us, they are coming thick and fast, and it will be easy to forget some of them (Sheffield Wednesday in particular!). So here is a summary of the 18 games so far. Do you remember them all?!

Stoke 0 Blackpool 0 – (Stoke win 5-4 on penalties) 29/8/20 3pm Carabao Cup

The Potters squeezed past Blackpool 5-4 on penalties after a ponderous 0-0 draw was dragged out at the bet365. Steven Fletcher at least looked lively in his first appearance (coming on as sub for Afobe), but all that people will remember will be that Stoke won. And it was all thanks to ‘Pool missing 3 penalties to Stoke’s 2 misses (bad boys McClean & Thompson’s spot-kicks were saved). Phew.

Millwall 0 Stoke 0 – 12/9/20 3pm

The League season starts here…with a bore-draw against Gary Rowett who managed to win this fixture last season. Hardly any action, most chances to Stoke, best chance to Millwall…but let’s not forget sub Jacob Brown being blatantly toppled in the box…earning a yellow for diving! A travesty!

Wolves 0 Stoke (0) 1 – 17/9/20 7pm Carabao Cup

Stoke City knocked Premier League Wolves out of the Carabao (League) Cup at Molineux, keeping yet another clean-sheet! A late goal by sub Jacob Brown ensured the game didn’t go to penalties. Cup runs? Clean sheets? Stoke fans don’t know what’s hit them!

Stoke 0 Bristol City (1) 2 – 20/9/20 2pm

Stoke were outclassed by a more determined Bristol side that bossed Stoke from the opening kick. Michael O’Neill’s side conceded 3 seconds before the end of the first half, and were then unsurprisingly caught on the break late on as they pushed for an equaliser. Stoke’s defence still needs more work.

Stoke (1) 1 Gillingham 0 – 23/9/20 Carabao Cup 7pm

Thompson sent Campbell through the middle, and he finished like a god. But this should have been done and dusted before Coronation Street came on. All the chances came and went (Gregory’s flying header, Fletcher’s fancy flick…and even Tymon hit the bar!), but no one seems to know why Jake Brown’s goal was disallowed. But it’s a cup run!

Preston 0 Stoke (1) 1 – 26/9/20 3pm

Stoke cruised to a 1-0 win after Preston controversially went down to 10 men on 22 minutes. City had chances to make it 2 in the 2nd half, but Clucas took too long, Tymon blasted over, & Fletcher tried to be too clever with his chance that hit the bar. Thankfully, Gregory’s tap-in took the points. Stoke’s first league goal of the season!

Aston Villa 0 Stoke (1) 1 – 1/10/20 7pm Carabao Cup

Stoke City reached the Quarter Finals of the Carabao (League) Cup after beating another Premier midlands side away from home. The goal was a Vokes flick header from a Thompson corner, but the 1-0 win was more comfortable than the scoreline records. Ask Sam Vokes about the sitter he missed in the 2nd half. Actually, better not. But when was the last time a team got through to the Quarter Finals by scoring only THREE goals?!

Stoke (0) 1 Birmingham (0) 1 – 4/10/20 3pm

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. Watching Powell’s deflected shot creep over the line in the 86th minute was a joy!

Luton 0 Stoke (0) 2 – 17/10/20 3pm

There was no love lost on the Luton pitch between Nathan Jones’ old club (Stoke) and his new one (Luton), but City took their chances in the 2nd half, and they took the spoils. Fletcher headed home seconds into the 2nd half, and then chest-thumping Powell hit the second. Amusing.

Stoke (1) 2 Barnsley (2) 2 – 21/10/20

Stoke came from behind twice, and hung on with only 10 men to claim a point against the determined Tykes. Somehow. Tyrese and Smith did the damage. But does anyone really know why Collins was sent off??

Stoke (2) 3 Brentford (0) 2 – 24/10/20 3pm

Stoke’s strikers took advantage down the left side, putting them 3-0 up on the hour, but their sloppy defence almost lost them the points. (Stand up Tymon with his sloppy back pass.) After his red card for Ireland, James McClean sprinkled the magic, lobbing for Fletcher to head home, scoring before the break, then allowing Tyrese to curl one in with his right foot.

Swansea (1) 2 Stoke 0 – 27/10/20 7.45pm

Stoke were without a shot on target in a dismal game where they even lost their keeper at half-time. Unfortunately, replacement Gunn slipped up in the second half, punching a player instead of the ball. Well, we’ve all done that. The only good bit was defending a free kick after Gunn handled a back-pass.

Stoke (1) 1 Rotherham 0 – 31/10/20 3pm

A re-Vamped Stoke took all 3 points thanks to McClean ghosting through to score the only goal in this tough Halloween tussle. Yes, Gunn got an assist for his goal-kick!

Watford (1) 3 Stoke (1) 2 – 4/11/20 7pm

Two Watford goals in this five goal thriller were strongly contested by Stoke players, but to no avail. After Steven Fletcher flicked in a surprise goal on 2 minutes, Watford equalised on the half-hour with one of the most controversial goals in recent times, as Gunn was bundled over the line! Powell made it 2-2 in the 81st minute, but 3 minutes into injury time…well, you can guess the rest.

Reading 0 Stoke (2) 3 – 7/11/20 12.30pm

It seemed effortless for Stoke to dismiss league leaders Reading, with goals by Tyrese, Fletcher, and (very late) Brown. City looked like promotion possibles in this gutsy 3-0 win. Gutsy, but only McClean got a yellow card. Predictably.

Stoke (3) 4 Huddersfield (2) 3 – 21/11/20 3pm

Defenders on both sides will be given a dressing down after this goal-fest. Thankfully the goal that won the game was a glorious finish by Sam “Alan-Hudson” Clucas. (Tyrese got 2 plus an own-goal.) Huddersfield actually scored the first goal, but it’s Stoke pushing for a play-off spot.

Stoke (0) 2 Norwich(2) 3 – 24/11/20 7pm

After sweeping to a deserved 3-0 lead by the hour mark, league-leaders Norwich nearly threw it all away with a stupid red card that led to a spirited comeback by Stoke. Tyrese scored just 56 seconds after the sending off, soon followed by a Collins headed goal, but were Stoke then robbed by ref’s decisions (handball in area or goal disallowed for a foul on the keeper?)? You decide.

Sheff Wed 0 Stoke 0 – 28/11/20 3pm

Goalless. Two well-organised defences cancel each other out. Why did anyone expect anything different? The most exciting thing to happen in this game was…er…well, I’ll get back to you…

Dave Lee
Dave Lee
Sports Reporter - Stoke City

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