Stoke (1) 3 Luton 0 – 20/2/21 3pm
Nathan Jones will be red-faced about losing so meekly to a well-organised Stoke, who took full advantage against spindly Luton. Nick Powell looked like Arnold Swartzenegger today, but here’s how the game unfolded in real time:
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Naughty Norrington Davies returns from suspension in time to face his ex-club (Fox is hamstrung). Tymon in for threatened McClean. But this is all about Nathan Jones returning again to the scene of the crime. Two desperate sides needing to get back in the saddle. Who will keep their seat?
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0.14 Nick Powell ghosts through to put a shot just over the bar. Blimey, Jones’ side fast asleep.
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7.25 Jacob Brown yellow carded for a decent tackle that looked worse than it was. Bit feeble.
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15.15 Brown fails to cross when he has the chance results in ball drifting back to the halfway line. Everything that has been wrong about Stoke in the last 4 years.
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18.38 Angus Gunn looking a bit cautious as Luton press forward with names such as Dewsbury-Hall, Harry Cornick and Simon Sluga (of course the keeper!).
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19.59 1-0! Defender Bradley allows ball to reach Fletcher, who then beats him, draws the keeper Sluga, and sets up Powell to score in an empty net! Poetry!
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31.18 Worst free kick of the year. Thompson on the halfway line, exchanges passes with Souttar before belting it too far out of play. Luton players look on in astonishment, and it gives them the upper hand for the next few minutes.
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HT Jones-old 1 Jones-new 0
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46.30 Powell takes ANOTHER tumble, and Rea is yellow carded. The ref obviously sees the challenge as deliberate in some way, to wind up Nick?
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55.05 After a decent exchange of passes, Clark shoots wide from distance. Luton being kept at arms’ length.
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56.59 Powell’s deft touch from Norrington’s cross brings out a full-length save from Sluga. Seems years since we’ve seen such scenes at the bet365.
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62.09 2-0 !! Joe Allen gets in an impossible cross from the right, and Powell muscles through to head home for 2-0!! Definitely Nick’s been man of the match!
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63.00 Thompson and Powell are replaced by Clucas and Mikel. Obi had better behave!
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73.30 Tymon & Brown replaced by McClean & Clarke. Watch the wings!
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74.40 Keeper Sluga comes out to the corner flag…and loses ball to Clucas, but his pass to McClean in the centre looks more like a shot-that-goes-wide-of-the-post. James not impressed! Sluga looking sheepish. ie. idiotic.
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77.36 3-0 !!!! Clucas takes advantage of another dozy defender, draws the keeper, and slips it to Fletcher to tap in. Excellent.
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80.15 Fletcher replaced by Vokes!! C’mon Sam, lets see some action.
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81.45 Vokes’ header brings out a great save from Sluga! Best chance of the day!
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FT Stoke 3 Luton 0
