Stoke 1 Preston 2 3/1/22 3pm
Stoke grab defeat from the jaws of victory, giving away the lead via poor marking. Promotion is fading and it’s only new year. Blimey. Here’s how the game unfolded in real time:
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How will Stoke survive without Josh Tymon on the left & Cracker Smith on the right? We’ll find out as Tom Ince fills in for both of them!?!?
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0.20 PNE playing for a draw already, with Emil Riis time-wasting by deliberately not returning the ball to Davies. (His real name is Jakobsen, but there you go.)
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3.45 Sam Clucas makes a defensive pass without mishap. Surprise!
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11.30 Ince & Campbell have their regulation wayward shots off target towards Narnia. Thankfully that’s them out of the way.
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17.20 After a ludicrous build up to a pre-prepared corner (involving a lot of waving arms in the air, mocked by the Stoke fans), PNE cock it up with a mis-hit that takes off vertically. As funny a moment you’ll ever see at a football match.
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20.20 As Tom Ince pretends to defend by seemingly gazing into space, it’s Capt Browne’s turn to waste time, tussling with Davies for the ball ahead of a goal kick.
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22.35 Chester wins the ball cleanly. Yes, this is a thing.
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33.05 Fletch thinks he deserves a penalty. So he stops playing in protest as Tom Ince has now got the ball. I’m saying nothing here. Draw your own conclusions.
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37.35 Joe Allen is wrestled to the ground by Johnson in a weird forearm manoeuvre where I thought Joe was going to get strangled!
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HT 0-0! Surprise surprise!
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46.20 1-0!!! Benny Wilmot decides to belt one from as far away as Derbyshire & hits the top corner!! Everyone stunned! Crowd’s whoop of surprise heard as far away as Genoa where ex-City loanee Leo Oystercard is gestating.
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Attendance 20002
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51.12 Surridge replaces Fletch who’s already left the building it seems! I didn’t see him go.
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58.45 1-1 !! Fantastic volley equaliser by Brad Potts. (His mum calls him Bradley.)
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68.45 Doughty on for Campbell. Are Stoke playing 4-5-1?
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75.01 Brown on for Vrancic! Back to 4-4-2!
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78.55 After a decent shot on target, Doughty gets a grossly unfair yellow card.
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80.30 1-2 !! Stoke can’t defend a simple corner. Awful. Headed home by unmarked Hughes hopping upwards gently from the penalty spot. MON will do his nut.
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88.15 Ched Evans is substituted. I didn’t know he was playing!?! …still!!
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90+5 FT 1-2. YES, that’s enough of that.
