Stoke (0) 1 Leeds 0 – 25/10/23 8pm
It felt like theft, but Stoke took all 3 point from promotion-hopefuls Leeds with a late winner from Wesley (credited to an own-goal). A bit dull till Leeds’ missed penalty. That’s it really, but if you want to read how the game unfolded in real time:
Stoke launch their new light show to try and distract attention away from only making one change from Saturday’s Sunderland win (Thompson on for Stevens, when Gooch or Tchamadeu are on the bench). The players come on in almost darkness! H&S will be on to them for that! The Sky TV cameras will lap it up though! Leeds are 3rd, Stoke 5th bottom.
0.00 Some players take the knee whilst kick off occurs! Ref has lost control already.
8.00 Mmaee flicks a shot straight at keeper Melier. Lively start by Stoke, Leeds half asleep.
20.00 Vidigal’s header is also straight at Meslier, but great cross by Hoever. Leris taking a lot of stick, and Burger getting stuck in a bit too much for a guy just short of suspension.
25.00 Mark Travers has to make a couple of saves, but barely breaks a sweat.
30.00 Leris brought down in the area, looking like a shirt pull, and gets nothing. The ref is 200 miles away and not able to comment. A strange mist is forming over the stadium.
HT 0-0. Cancelling each other out.
Attendance 22,587, clearly bolstered by the full away end, as it looks fairly thin on the ground elsewhere.
55.00 Burger loses his boot in a tackle that looked like he was fouled, but the ref fails to stop things. Play goes on, and Burger even plays a ball in his stocking-ed foot!. Eventually the ref does stop the game for him to put his boot back on! But why he didn’t stop the game a little earlier is anyone’s guess.
58.00 Hoever has now made 2 mistakes in 5 minutes, and looks injured. Might be time for Gooch.
73.21 Penalty to Leeds. Patrick Bamford has only been on the pitch 5 minutes , and he’s brought down by Pearson.
74.28 Bamford blasts the ball over the bar after sending Travers the wrong way. Tony Pulis managed him once. He sold him.
75.00 Wesley and Gooch on for Thompson and Mmaee.
79.18 1-0 !!! Wesley scores from a Hoever corner from the left. It’s actually an own-goal off captain Struijk after a rebound off the bar on to his shoulder, but they all count.
84.40 Great last second tackle by Hoever saves the day. he’s back!
90.30 Stevens on for Vidigal.
96.00 FT 1-0 ! Smash & grab at home! 😁
