Stoke City brush aside the Orient in 2-0 cup win

Stoke 2 Orient 0 – 9/1/22 2pm

City through to the 4th round of the FA Cup, but hardly convincing. Tom Ince scored & assisted, but Tyrese who was only on for 15 minutes will be remembered for his nutmeg goal. Tiny crowd should be a worry, but here’s how the game unfolded in real time:
A socially distanced crowd at the bet365…as Stoke fans don’t see this as a proper match, clearly. In a quiet moment I’m going to count the crowd!! Orient fans bunched together in an Omicron bundle. Londoners, eh? FIVE changes for Stoke: Jack Bonham in goal and D’Margio Wright-Phillips up front with Jake Brown. You get NINE subs in the FA Cup, so Emre Tezgel (English youth striker) gets a mention. The irony is that, if Stoke didn’t have injuries, the starting 11 would only contain 2 first-teamers (Joe Allen and Ben Wilmot). None of the other 9 (Ince, Clucas, Chester) are first choice players…
0.44 Orient break and get a shot off (over the bar). Lively little pups. Little? They all look about 7 ft tall!
5.30 Jacob Brown heads a corner just over, but Orient break and Drinan’s shot is well saved by Bonham, despite the offside.
9.54 Bearded Drinan gets ANOTHER chance, but heads wide when it seemed easier to score!
16.14 Drinan, then slices an easy ball into touch – flash and the pan.
19.32 Alfie does well down the left, but after D’Margio stumbles in the box, the striker doesn’t bother getting back on his feet, even though the ball is still there to be won! Attitude, Mr Phillips!
20.01 Harry Smith slices a clear chance towards the corner flag. More jollity.
22.52 Alfie heads home, blundering the ball into the net, taking the keeper Vigoroux with him, but the lineman is unimpressed! We all thought it was hilarious! No sense of humour, these officials.
26.31 Smith makes up for his gaff, by bringing out a superb save from Jackie Bonham from a near side header.
40.30 As Wright-Phillips is caught offside, I’ve counted the crowd and estimate it to be 3720, including 920 away supporters. 8000 saw Vale in the cup yesterday.
42.45 1-0!!! Ince scores!!! Easy Alfie cross from the left, and hit home from the penalty spot. Stoke players don’t look bothered, although Tom raises hands (a bit) & tries a smile. Home fans try a sing-song!
45+1 HT for very quiet game is 1-0.
Attendance is given as 5269 (including 940 away fans). My figure was 3720 (920 away)!!!
60.15 Morgan Fox clears, conceding a corner, but no one pats him on the back. Where’s the team spirit??
63.20 As Stoke begin to fumble, Duhaney gets a shot in the chest, but the replay shows it touched his arm (in a natural position). Orient fans (who can’t see a hand in front of their Omicron faces) reckon not only is it a penalty but that JFK was shot from the grassy knoll.
70.45 Josh Tymon & SuperMario Vrancic come on for Clucas and Alfie. Stoke begin to panic, and Bonham fluffs a punch!!
75.15 Tyrese on for Jake Brown.
82.10 Chester and Fox blunder into each other, allowing Sotiriou to get through and lob the keeper…thankfully wide.
84.30 And Emre Tezgel comes on for Wright-Phillips!
89.00 2-0 !!! Tyrese nutmegs the keeper!! Great pass by Tom Ince.
90+3 Stoke through to the 4th round! 2-0.
Dave Lee
Dave Lee
Sports Reporter - Stoke City

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