Stoke City struggle in Derby friendly

Easy win in this friendly for League One’s Derby. Stoke conceded 3 easy first-half goals, and only looked threatening when new boy Daniel Johnson came on at half time, although he later retired injured. Here’s how the game unfolded in real time:

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This is Craig Forsyth’s testimonial but is actually a key warm up friendly for Stoke. In comes newbie Enda Stevens, who I’m told is strictly a left back (ie not a “wide player”). Hard-man Ben Pearson is now back full time after just being at Stoke on loan last term , and out-of-favour Tom Edwards returns from being out on loan to just about everybody to play right back. Other newbies Daniel Johnson (midfielder) & Michael Rose (defender) are waiting their turn on the bench. City debuting their confused royal blue away kit. Pleasant.

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8.40 Tyrese heads towards goal, but an easy one for keeper Joe Wildsmith. Ty then bursts through & hits a rasping one deflected away for a corner. Is this Campbell’s season?!

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13.17 Connor Taylor brilliantly holds off a striker until he gets kicked. All players showing Ben-Pearson-like guts & grit.

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18.38 0-1 !! Headed goal by Curtis Nelson from a corner from the left. Alex Neil will be furious with that one.

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25.39 0-2!! Another header, this time from a cross from the right by Ward, headed home by James Collins. Poor marking by Taylor.

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32.02 Best shot of the day is Alex Neil kicking a bottle of water into the dugout with some venom.

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33.15 Oh dear! Jacob Brown wins the ball in the penalty area, slips it to Tyrese, who weirdly fumbles a pass to Capt Josh Laurent. Derby fans laugh loud & long. Weak.

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39.59 0-3!! Nath Mendez-Laing exchanges with Max Bird before curling his shot into the far right corner. It’s easy for Derby. Alex Neil won’t like that one either.

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45+0 Laurent brought down from behind, and derby players crowd round & give him stick!! Should be some yellow cards.  Free kick from Jordan Thompson flies over.

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HT 0-3. Oh dear oh dear.

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45.00 Daniel “DJ” Johnson replaces Pearson, and DJ has more touches in the first minute than Ben had in the whole first half!

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51.01 DJ even gets a shot on target!

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58.36 DJ gets another decent shot off. He is certainly impressive.

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62.55 Enda “not a wide player” Stevens lofts a poor cross over over. I get the point. He then tries again. He’s no Josh Tymon.

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64.10 Michael Rose debuts for Connor Taylor.

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70.01 Derby fans: “You must be rubbish, you’re worse than Port Vale!” Stoke fans: “You must be rubbish, you lost to Port Vale!” Poetry.

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71.57 Bonham replaced by Blondy Noukeu.

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Attendance 9119

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79.50 As Derby bring on testimonial guests, (David Nugent etc), Stoke’s Rose has a header on goal. Also a crow makes his home on the pitch, & refuses to move!! He’s struggling to fly, as are Stoke.

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83.01 DJ hobbles off, replaced by 16 year old Sol Sidibe. Daniel took a nasty challenge on the touchline a few minutes earlier

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90.+1 Blondy flattens two players punching free

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FT 0-3!