Stoke 1 Luton 2 – 23/2/22 7.45
One point from two must-win home games has effectively scuppered Stoke’s promotion chances, plunging them towards lower-table mediocrity. To anyone watching this performance, no one will be particularly surprised. Here’s how this debacle unfolded in real time:
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Ex-City manager Nathan Jones returns to the bet365, so Stoke fans do NOT want to lose to Luton. A win for Nathe will put Town on the cusp of the playoffs, and Stoke in the lower regions of the league…again. This is a must-win game. But for whom?? Nick Powell returns from his hamstring to haunt the Jones-man.
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5.32 Nick Powell already reading minds, doing a Billy’s-Boots by running to where the ball does unexpectedly arrive. How does he do that? Has he already played this game??
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10.55 A Tyrese shot is blatantly deflected but he doesn’t get a corner. Worse still, the replay shows it should have been a penalty for hand-ball!! Ref John Busby already in trouble. How could he have at least missed the deflection???
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30.20 Powell is rugby tackled to the ground…but the ref doesn’t blow! So he rugby tackles the offender, who in fairness is subsequently yellowed!
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35.20 The obligatory Powell injury… He’s fine though.
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36.55 Tyrese hilariously shoves a player off the ball…and gets away with it, winning a corner!! How does he get away with it!
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39.50 Bursik makes a great save from point blank…but it’s offside anyway. It’ll keep him warm.
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45+1 HT Nathe’s old team 0 Nathe’s even older team 0
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50.50 Harry Cornick is booked for pulling Powell’s shirt in what should have been a red card. A game-ruiner.
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53.14 After Joe Allen saves the day with a great tackle at the last, Philogene-Bidace is replaced by Jake Brown. Groin.
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55.13 0-1 !!!! A brilliant finish by Danny Hylton, from a cross from Cornick (who some think shouldn’t be on the pitch! But there you go!) Slipped in at the near post. Luton fans wake up!! They really were asleep before this.
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Attendance 18270. Weak.
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61.57 Bursik makes a great save from breaking Adebayo, keeping Stoke in the game.
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63.50 Tommy Cracker Smith replaces injured (possibly) Tymon. Hamstring. Does Cracker play on the left? We will see. MON watching his career disappear (part 7).
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74.34 Cameron Jerome comes on for Cornick. Now we’ll see fireworks! Meanwhile Nathan’s team is time-wasting like never before. And the crowd are letting him know what they think of his tactics. He deserves it, it’s a disgrace.
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80.50 0-2 !! Town score from a corner. Cameron Jerome puts it in from ground level! How did he achieve that??
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90+1 1-2!!! Lewis Baker sinks another gem with a curling shot from a corner from the left. Keeper no chance. Hope is a terrible thing!
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90+4 Harwood-Bellis is goolied, & can now barely walk!!! He’s in great pain & should be treated or stretchered. (He is after the final whistle!!)
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90+8 and the ref has had enough. Appalling result for Stoke, losing 1-2. Nathan looks happy, though. Stoke slump to 14th.
