Stoke (3) 4 Bristol 0 4/5/24 12.30
Brilliant 4-0 win performance by Stoke. That 4th goal scrapes City into 17th spot. 3 wins at the end of the season for the first time since 2001! A worthy lap of honour at the end. Million, Junho and Cundle were great, but everyone contributed. Here’s how this victory unfolded in real time:
May the Fourth be With You! Yes, it’s Star Wars day, and it’s the last game of the season. Stoke are safe, and Bristol have popped up the M5 to see off the season. Stoke are keen to end the season with 3 straight wins for the first time since….
8.50 Junho Bae showing why he has been made player of the season by beating his man with skill, and then bringing out a save from keeper Max O’Leary. (Burger was my choice, but Junho is getting better and better!).
13.28 Great passing goal by Bristol but it’s clearly offside! However, replay shows it a lot closer than first thought.
15.10 Enda Stevens gets on the end of a great passing movement, but his high kick almost takes the defenders head off!
24.20 1-0 !!! Luke Cundle pokes home after great work by Million Manhoef on the right, Laurent slices it through for Cundle to score!
28.55 Great save from Scott Twine and defending by Daniel Iversen and the defenders as Bristol looked set to equalise! How did that not go in??
32.15 Junho looked like he’d scored a Geoff Hurst goal off the bar, but it wasn’t over the line!! Brilliant set up again by Million.
44.42 2-0 !!! Campbell takes the ball into the left side of the penalty area, and casually blasts the ball home in the top corner!! He and Laurent celebrate by Laurent shining his shoes!
45+1.26 3-0 !!! Million charges down the right and blasts it into the far top corner!!
HT 3-0
48.10 4-0 !!! Brilliant goal by Million! Receives the ball from Cundle in the centre, and from the edge of the area puts it in the top corner!!!
50.30 As Twine shoots wide, Stoke fans break into “Stoke will tear us apart again!”
Attendance 26,368
54.48 McNally flattened from behind by a frustrated Anis Mehmeti. Luke looked utterly bewildered!
60.25 Luke Cundle drifts in but his brilliant shot hits the bar! Should be 5-0!
63.48 Million runs on to score but he’s clearly offside!
68.01 Nathan Lowe on for Tyrese Campbell who gets a roar of approval.
74.55 Burger, Sidibe and Junior on for Laurent, however, and Thompson.
78.07 Burger makes a sliding tackle but the ref plays advantage. Wouter apologises to the ref before play stops probably saving himself from a yellow card.
81.27 Great shot from the edge of the area by Junho brings out a great save from O’Leary.
87.10 Leris on for Million.
90+5 FT 4-0!!
