Stoke 2 Millwall 0 – 19/3/22 3pm
A spirited performance by City as they muscled past the physical Millwall and even giving their fans lots to smile about. A goal from a corner (well, does Gary Rowett practice them?), a comical own-goal, and even a Stoke keeper saving a penalty! It’s unheard of. Here’s how the game unfolded in real time:
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Gary Rowett is back in town, although Michael O’Neill doesn’t seem bothered. He sees sibling rivalries as a “side-show”. Well, today we’ll see if he’s right. MON makes 5 changes (in the style of Nathan Jones!) bringing back Jagielka at the back, Vrancic in the middle and Maja up front. Rowett surely won’t be fooled by any of this malarkey.
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10.10 Joe Allen is hauled over by Saville in what can only be described as a wrestling move!! Horrific. Stoke fans take the opportunity to compare Rowettt’s football to manure. Up the other end, Wallace hauls Allen over. Have they got it in for him??
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18.32 1-0!! Jacob Brown heads home from a left-side corner by Baker. Millwall defence at 6s and 7s, but well-deserved goal.
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22.22 Wright-Phillips pulled down in the box, but the ref’s not interested. Looked clear cut. Bit like the wrestling move earlier. Are we seeing a pattern here?
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36.00 After Jacob Brown is pole-axed defending a free kick, Vrancic gets an elbow in the head from Capt Jake Cooper!! Yes, there’s a pattern forming here.
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40.45 Lewis Baker giving the ball away like he’s forgotten which team he’s on! He then shouts at everyone else like it’s their fault!
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42.20 Amazing run by Wright-Phillips along the touchline, heavily outnumbered, he’s finally dragged down. Again. It’s that pattern again.
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HT STOKE 1 ROWETT 0
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Attendance 20,526!!!
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55.30 Tymon knocks the ball out of the hands of a Millwall player trying to take a throw-in. Somehow he thinks that he won’t get a yellow for that! (He does!) Twit! MON will not be pleased.
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64.20 After hitting the post, Jacob Brown is unfairly yellowed for a good tackle (shows replay). Player fell on to him. Ref not particularly popular presently.
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69.30 Jordan Thompson on for Vrancic, who has taken a lot of punishment.
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69.50 2-0 !! Own goal!! George Saville heads in from a Lewis Baker free kick! Gary Rowett looks sick, MON looks exactly the same!
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74.30 Penalty! High kick on Tom Bradshaw by Moore.
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75.05 MISSED!!!!! By Jed Wallace saved by Bonham diving to his right!!!! Stoke are scoring penalties and saving them too!!!
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83.08 It beggars belief that Thompson gets yellowed for another decent tackle (supported again by the replay) when Millwall had adopted the wrestling tactics of the first half and got away with it! Finally, Ballard gets a yellow for a gross tackle on Wright-Phillips. What is going on??
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88.26 Wright-Phillips has to hobble off, replaced by Tyrese.
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90+2 Fletcher on for Maja.
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FT Stoke 2 Rowett Millwall 0
