Stoke 2 Cardiff 2 – 10/12/12 3pm
A draw against a lowly side like Cardiff was not enough to win the hearts & minds of the sturdy Stoke bunch who endured the elements for this unsatisfactory malarkey. Stoke were losing, then winning, then finally drawing, and the ref was little help at all as Delap was interfered with incessantly in the box!! The Potters fall yet another place as the manager fails to notice that he’s effectively in a relegation battle. He may be “furious” about the penalty decisions, but his side should’ve put this one to bed. Here’s how the game unfolded in real time:
–
HARRY SOUTTAR IS BACK…again! Take one last look as it might be his last game at the bet365. (Possibly the Burnley game on the 30th…) So, the players have been working/chill-axing in Dubai. Let’s see if they can get away from 17th place, 2 points from relegation…exactly where they were when Alex Neil took over 15 games ago. Crowd sparse. Weather freezing. Standard bet365 fodder.
–
4.25 Tyrese shoves O’Dowda off the ball for Delap to fire wide. Somehow it all looked illegal yet inept.
–
5.52 0-1!!! Easy goal for Ryan Wintle, after a brilliant take & pass from Gavin Whyte.
–
8.40 Great exchange between Baker & Campbell, resulting in Lewis being tripped in the box. Ref unimpressed to the point of comatose, which kind of sums things up so far. But wait…!
–
10.56 1-1 !!! So much for comatose as Campbell who is fed by Baker then beats his man to fire into the corner. Tyrese looks fired up afterall.
–
14.30 Niels won’t go & fetch the ball for a throw, and in the absence of a ballboy a lame man slowly collects the ball for him!! Uh?!
–
17.25 2-1 !!! A thunderbolt from Tyrese deflects to Delap who diverts home. Cardiff laughably reckon offside but the replay clearly says no! A great crossfield pass from Josh Tymon set that up. Josh playing very deep in a back four.
–
25.50 Souttar makes 3 great challenges/clearances in a row. Worth £30m of anybody’s money.
–
37.42 Delap goes down in the box again, by ref is underwhelmed again, giving Souttar a yellow up the other end!!?! Fans reckon he’s not up for the job. Jury is still out.
–
40.40 Delap is blatantly charged off the ball by Kipre again in the area…and the ref sees nothing!!! Kipre wasn’t even going for or even near the ball!!
–
42.05 Kipre manhandles Delap right in front of the bench and guess what???!? Unbelievable!!! Neil doing his nut!!!
–
HT City 2 City 1, but if you count penalty claims….!!!
–
Attendance 20,111. Ha!! Does that include those watching at home?!? Never. More like 16,000.
–
53.22 Delap brings down Kipre in his own box, but for some reason the ref sees that one!!
–
55.40 Fabulous save by Bonham through a crowd of players (& a deflection). Credit where credit is due.
–
56.30 Romaine Sawyers comes on for Cardiff to rub our noses in it.
–
57.12 2-2 !!! An awesomely worked team goal finished by Robinson draws Cardiff level.
–
59.00 Cardiff fans sing about being Jammy Devils or something similar….
–
64.32 Sub Etete gets a chance in front of goal but slots it wide, much to the relief of Stokes defence. Clarke then saves the day thwarting Etete again. Stoke living dangerously.
–
67.43 Another great save by Bonham again from Etete (header this time). Stoke out of their depth now.
–
69.05 Powell & Jacob Brown on for Delap & Baker.
–
71.47 As Fosu tumbles off the pitch, Marlon Romeo helps him up very sportingly. Don’t see that very often.
–
73.01 Tyrese shot is turned away from close quarters.
–
81.38 Another good save from Bonham. Hard to believe he’s conceded twice.
–
89.00 Keeper Allsop refuses to part with the ball for Stoke to take a corner!!! Crazy!!! Melee follows & Allsop just gets a yellow.
–
90+4 FT 2-2
