Stoke are trying, but there’s no end-product, losing 1-2

Stoke may look more sprightly but they’re still losing games like this. Shipping an early goal due to a Jagielka mistake was always going to make it difficult, but did it have to be ex-Stoke Hogan scoring?! Can Neil really turn this around? Here’s how the game unfolded in real time:

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Yes, it’s Guy Fawkes Night…well, afternoon. So, with Tyrese returning miraculously from Glandular Fever (oh yes?), and Gayle dropped (phew!), and even giant defender Harry Souttar returning from 15 months of injury to appear on the bench, I’m expecting fireworks!! And already Birmingham have decided to attack the away end for the first half!!! Yes, this’ll be a cracker! Sterling returns, and Thompson no longer wears a mask!

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1.28 Blimey, Powell has a header on goal in the 2nd minute!! Goalkeeper Ruddy isn’t so surprised though. Nick is clearly expected to be an inside forward today, supported by Smallbone

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3.53 Baker’s deflected drive somehow fails to get past Ruddy. That’s two chances in the first 4 minutes! Unexpected.

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8.56 Bewilderingly Sterling gets yellowed for falling over into Hannibal long-hair Mejbri. Me thinks he did protest too much. or that he tripped over Hannibal’s plumage.

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12.17 0-1 !! Somehow Stoke are behind. Jagielka (40) lets the ball slip over his foot, and ex-Stokie Scott Hogan (30) nips in, outruns him, and slots it through Bursik. 95 seconds later Jutkiewicz (33) has a chance to make it 2-0, but he hoofs it over the bar.

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29.30 As Stoke struggle to get the ball away (Bursik doddering), Powell robs Bacuna, sets off Tyrese, only for Nick to be bodychecked in front of the ref! Krystian Bielik (the well-known enemy of spell-checkers everywhere) is rightly yellowed.

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HT City 0 City 1

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49.55 Wilmot has two bites of the cherry from a superb Tymon cross, but the first is weak and the other flies over…

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Attendance 22469

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59.40 As a sudden torrential downpour floods in, Tyrese, Smallbone and Sterling are swept  off, and Delap, Brown, & Clarke swim on.

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66.08 0-2!!  After Hannibal takes ages to take a corner, it is perfectly flighted to the far post where Harlee Dean heads home beautifully from a tight angle.

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68.40 Fosu on for Tymon. Stoke still trying, but there’s no end-product at all.

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73.23 Penalty, as Delap goes down after a cutting pass from the right by Powell.

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74.10 1-2 !!! Baker blasts it home, left of centre, grabbing the ball and running back for kick off. Stoke crowd back in business – Brum crowd a little quiet now.

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80.35 Delap breaks brilliantly down the right, cuts in then fumbles the shot…as does everyone else. it’s a farce!

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84.20 Suddenly Stoke are awake and raining in crosses, but it’s chaos in the centre, and no one can convert. Fosu and Delap have further goes, but they’re wide.

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88.12 Fox gets yellowed for supposedly body checking Chong on the break, but Chong is the villain in the replay.

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90+3 Wilmot trips in his own area trying to be clever, but thankfully Stoke clear.

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90+6 No one can take any more, and it ends City 1 City 2. Stoke still in a relegation battle!