Stoke 0 Coventry (0) 1 – 17/2/24 3pm
One mistake leading to one goal settled this battling game. Coventry stole it on 51 minutes, and Stoke look vulnerable as QPR & Wednesday win unexpectedly. This is how this game unfolded in real time:
Another SIX changes for Stoke (8 and 6 for the last two games!)! Nathan Lowe is recalled surprisingly (Mmaee is internally suspended, and Wesley is just too big. Vidigal is rested.) Bonham returns for injured Iversen in goal, but Wouter Burger only on the bench is a bit ominous. Not much of a 23rd birthday for him.
4.10 Just returned from injury is Capt Josh Laurent, who throws himself into a challenge, and comes down badly on his back! Is he wanting a another spell on the sidelines?
7.50 Yellow carded Jordan Thompson for what the ref reckons was an elbow in the face for Latibeaudiere. Jordan reckons he knew nothing about it.
10.55 Goalmouth scramble as Bonham saves and O’Hare hits the rebound against the post when it seemed easier to score. That’s livened things up!
45.00 Yellow card for Lewis Baker. For dissent.
HT 0-0. Steady containment but not much action!
49.35 More action in the opening minutes of the 2nd half than most of the first. Stoke attacking, but keeper Ben Wilson not really threatened, even by Baker’s low shot.
Attendance 22,866. Really?
50.53 0-1 !!! Hoever loses the ball, and O’Hare sets up Ellis Simms to slot past Bonham. Careless.
60.40 Junior, Burger and Junho on for Hoever, Pearson and exhausted Laurent.
61.53 Lowe twists and turns in the box, but his final shot is just over. Best we’ve seen of him.
63.34 Rose heads Baker’s corner just wide. Stoke fighting back.
65.30 Baker’s great shot is deflected wide.
69.10 Niall Ennis on for Lowe. Million Manhoef on for Gooch.
80.20 Coventry break with numbers, but Haji Wright shies the chance over the bar. Foolish.
83.30 Million receives a difficult long ball from Rose, breaks into the area, but his shot is just wide. An electric moment.
85.20 Burger gets a hand in the face, but Stoke can’t exploit the free-kick.
FT city 0 city 1. A brave try.
