Watford (0) 2 Stoke 0 – 8/5/23 3pm
Two 2nd half goals in 4 minutes (well, 4 minutes & 6 seconds!) were enough to sink a trying Stoke side. A decent game but such a familiar result. City end 2 places lower than they did last season. Watford get a coveted top-half finish. Millwall miss out on the playoffs. Funny how things turn out. Here’s how it unfolded in real time:
Yep, last game of the season, and Watford must save face by finishing in the top half!! Therefore they need to beat Stoke. City can’t finish above last season’s 14th place, so it’s 15th (if they win & Bristol lose) or 16th. Yeah, disappointing. We sing the national anthem as it’s coronation bank holiday, and the Stoke fans sing out lustily…and too fast, finishing before everyone else! Loanee keeper Matija Sarkic returns from injury for what could be his last game. However, SEVEN of the starting 11 are at the end of their loans or out-of-contract! It could be their last game for Stoke too!
4.30 Ismaila Sarr bursts through, but kneeling Sarkic is able to deflect an obvious goal. He looks a bit bewildered as if he doesn’t know how he did it! Sarr has another go a few minutes later, and it’s Phil Jagielka’s turn to deflect the ball away. Watford looking useful, Stoke looking used-to-it.
12.58 Former Stoke reserve keeper Daniel Bachmann (& now an international!) saves easily from Tyrese’s low cross. I knew Bachmann when he was a Sidemann!
18.05 Now Josh Tymon has a stab at Sidemann…I mean Bachmann, and then Jagielka (from a corner) and Laurent. Stoke at least having a go.
29.40 Watford defence wobbling around Bachmann, who is starting to despair of a top-half finish for Watford.
33.40 Tyrese’s cross is met by Nick Powell, but it flies well over. Meanwhile two Watford defenders charge into each other, with Porteous coming off worse. Then Powell is thrown over a defender’s shoulder and gets nothing. It’s like a wrestling match!
40.35 Powell popping up all over the place – right back, centre-forward etc – crosses low from the left, but Will Smallbone (who thinks he’s a right winger) can’t convert at the far post, almost doing the splits!
44.01 Laurent wins the ball in midfield, Smallbone crosses, and Powell’s header brings out a save in Bachmann. Neat stuff. Stoke looking like a normal team!
45.00 Laurent releases Tymon, who crosses low, but Tyrese can’t convert! Best chance of the day.
HT 0-0. Watford can still end in the top-half with a win, but Stoke have little to play for with Bristol winning.
46.35 Tyrese and Kabasele have a bizarre tussle in the corner, ending with Tyrese falling on top of him and then trying to hide the ball from him. Clearly having too much fun. Ref not so convinced.
51.01 Ben Pearson does a “Roy-Kent” after being penalised. He picks up the ball and throws it away in a temper, and of course, it’s a yellow card. The Stoke fans break into “We want him to stay!!” And “Sign him up!” Mad, the bunch of them.
60.00 Stoke fans more amused by someone who looks like one of the Chasers from TV! They’ve spent most of the time complaining about the lack of beer at their end.
69.52 0-1 !! After Sarkic makes a great save at the feet of Sarr, Imran Louza curls the ball in off the far post from a tight angle with a goal worthy to win any game. Home fans break into, “How bad must you be, we’re winning at home.”
73.58 0-2 !! With all the time in the world, Keinan David finally gets his shot off, but it’s deflected over and past Sarkic…curling in off the far post just like the first goal. Harsh.
77.55 Tymon booked, and Lewis Baker on for Thompson.
81.20 Powell tries a Charlie Adam from the centre circle, but Bachmann is back to handle it safely.
88.25 Powell and Tyrese go down, and both are subbed by Connor Taylor and Dwight Gayle. Powell looked like he could be out for a few months. Tyrese just wants a beer! (In fairness, Powell probably wants a Pimms!). That could be the last Stoke see of Powell…and maybe 6 others too.
90+4 Season ends with defeat, Watford 2 Stoke 0. City finish 16th!! But Watford climb to 11th as Preston lose. It can only get better next season. Can’t it??
