Stoke clambered out of the relegation zone after a Boxing Day thriller coming back from 1-2 with two time-added goals. No one could quite believe the scenes at the end of this topsy turvy game. Here’s how it unfolded in real time:
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Bottom of the league for Xmas. RyanS is back again. RyanW is back too (on the bench). Otherwise it’s the team that folded against Boro last Friday. Another 1-2? We’ll see. Merry Christmas!
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6.22 Both Clucas & Allen vying for the first red card with sliding tackles! Alarming start.
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10.13 1-0 !!! McClean taps in after Allen volleys Clucas’ cross from the left. Not offside shows replay. Now, see if Stoke can do some proper dog-walking. (ie. Hang on to a lead!)
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25.11 Ince tries a spectacular volley…well, you can guess the rest. Pity the poor corner flag & stadium roof.
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30.48 Sheffield hit the post with a snap header. It’s the first time I’ve even noticed they were here. They were 3rd place this morning.
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40.57 Sweeping movement & a first time cross by McClean, but Clucas shoots straight at keeper Dawson’s knees. Dasher!
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45+1 HT Stoke 1 BigTeam 0
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Attendance 25,359!! Well, the away end is full.
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48.00 Clucas goes down in area – his foot is trod on shows replay – but ref with good view sees nothing.
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53.35 Clucas in wars again in a clash of heads. It’ll ruin his looks…particularly the evil ones he’s giving the ref.
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59.59 Gregory fouled, trampled & tripped, then handles the ball on the ground. Guess which the ref sees?
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66.22 1-1 ! Morgan Fox flicks on a corner from the right. It comes off the far post & along the line to Butland. But the ref decides it’s crossed the line. Not convinced.
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73.35 1-2!! Stoke mugged from another corner from the right. Butland can’t hold the header, which comes off bar & is headed home by Capt Tom Lees.
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75.55 Shawcross has a clear header to score from free kick, & misses by a mile. That’s Stoke for you. Vokes comes on for Ward. This could open things up…at either end.
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82.01 First restrain of Tony Scholes Get Out Of Our Club from fans.
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90+2 2-2 Campbell volleys home after McClean heads the ball back into the area. Place goes crazy!!
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90+6 3-2!!!!! The place goes mad!!!!!! Vokes pokes home from a corner!! Wednesday mugged at corner too!!
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90+7 Stoke win unbelievably!!! 3-2! What a finish! Sorry to all those who left early!