Bristol City 1 Stoke City FC 0....No Real Threat!!

Stoke started this match at Ashton Gate with Vincent Perigard fresh from Strangeways up front partnering Ricardo Fuller, and with Manager Tony Pulis looking presumably for a really positive reaction from the player after his weeks of enforced inaction. They began confidently with an excellent chance falling to Ricardo Fuller.The latter part of the half,however, saw the home team increasing the pressure on the Stoke defence. Bristol took the lead through Marvin Elliot, his shot, from 30 yards out curling into the top lefthand corner of the net past Simonsen's despairing dive on 36 minutes.Ricardo Fuller teed up a chance for John Eustace 3 minutes later but he scuffed his shot.Bristol forced Stoke to defend deeper and deeper as the half concluded.On the balance of play the home team deserved their lead.

Bristol started the second half where they had left off in the first, pushing Stoke back into their own half. After 10 minutes Simonsen saved brilliantly from Trundle when he had a chance to wrap the game up.Pericard was subbed by Parkin in the 60th minute,after which Stoke began to move forward with more menace and purpose.Fuller created a couple of chances for his teamates, the second after sub Sweeney (on for Lawrence) won the ball,and played him through, but his cross was too high for Parkin,so the Potters were unable to save even a point against the lively home side.

Dare We Say It?...New Signings Imminent At Stoke City FC

According to The Sentinel

"Stoke City are hot on the trail of Coventry defender Elliott Ward – and could add Preston midfielder Danny Pugh to their line-up before Saturday’s trip to Bristol City."

PLUS

"manager Tony Pulis remains determined to land an un-named Premiership midfielder " to strengthen his squad.

Stoke are now 6th in the table following Wolves win at Cardiff last night,but rightly people at the club are remaining tight lipped about developments on the player front.

Vincent Pericard has now been released from Strangeways and could well find himself in the squad for Saturday's trip to Bristol.

Great Away Win...Crystal Palace1 Stoke City 3

Stoke bounced back from Saturday's disappointingly below par result - spoiling Neil Warnock's first home game as Manager in the process - in seeing off a poor Palace team,and gaining three points which lifted them back into the top six.Stoke now lie 5th on 20 points equal to second placed West Bromwich Albion.

After a goaless first half Cresswell scored his first of the season on 49 minutes heading in a left wing cross from Matteo.He added another in the 59th minute rifling the ball into the net from the edge of the penalty box after a cross shot by Liam Lawrence from the right hit the post and rebounded out to him. Between Friedman equalised for Palace.

In the 74th minute Ryan Shawcross notched his fifth of the season to put Stoke into the comfort zone, heading in when a dipping Rory Delap volley from the edge of the penalty box came back off the Palace crossbar.

The interesting development in this match was that Cresswell started up front instead of on the wing and has immediately shown his goal scoring pedigree.Sadly he will not be available for the important top of the table clash at Bristol City on Saturday due to suspension.Ricardo Fuller went off injured( ankle injury and dead leg) but hopefully he will be fit for Saturday.

Oh Dear....Not A Good Day! Stoke City 2 Sheffield Wednesday 4

Stoke were not at their best in this game,plus Sheffield Wednesday did not look like a team near the bottom of the table.

The visitors were the livelier team from the start.Unlike the Colchester game where Stoke pressed hard and got a reward here they relied on Fuller's individual skill and strength to give them the lead on 12 minutes against the run of play.

Right winger Johnson gave full back Wilkinson a torrid time and it was no real surprise when he cut inside and and netted a powerful equaliser in the 16th minute.On 23 minutes The Owls went ahead.Another raid down the right,a cross shot which hit the Stoke's far post,returned by Francis Jeffers for Tudgay to head in.

Stoke were back on terms on 41 minutes when Ricardo Fuller showed great anticipation and determination to intercept as Sheffield defender headed weakly back to his keeper, the striker nodding the ball firmly into the net as the keeper came out.

Stoke looked the better side in the second half,and it seemed only a matter of time before they scored again.Excellent chances fell to Parkin,Eustace,and Cresswell but all were spurned.Nevertheless it was something of a surprise when the home team fell behind with 5 minutes to go.Simonsen failed to hold a cross from the left.The resulting Kavanagh corner was headed in by Tudgay.To add insult to injury substitute and ex Stokie Burton repeated last season's feat at The Brit scoring in the 87th minute with a strong shot which seemed to take at least two deflections on its way into the net.

Tuesday brings an away match at Crystal Palace.It will be ineresting to see what we can do against a Warnock inspired team.Stoke certainly miss Sidibe and it now looks as though we will be without his services for several weeks at least.With Fuller firing as he is at the minute we always have a chance in any game.Yesterday was the first time for a long while that Stoke's defence has looked less than secure,repeatedly being discomforted by Wednesday's highly mobile tricky forwards.

And to cap it all England lost the rugby match against South Africa!!

Tony Pulis to Norwich City ??

According to today's Daily Mail Stoke Manager Tony Pulis is a target for Norwich City,being lined up as a replacement to succeed Peter Grant, who left the club last week.
Time will tell!!

Potters On The Up!! Stoke City FC 2 Colchester United 1

Stoke won a good footballing encounter to propel themselves to 5th place in the Coca Cola Championship with a goal in each half from respectively Ryan Shawcross and Liam Lawrence.

Following his excellent performance at WBA in the week,John Eustace was a welcome sight in the Stoke midfield.He looked really strong and confident especially during the first half,linking the play shooting on sight,and it has to be said the team played some seriously good penetrating football with the ball often on the ground and played to feet.

Ryan Shawcross's opener in the 8th minute was a powerful far post header from a Liam Lawrence corner which gave the visiting keeper no chance.Stoke had enough unconverted chances in the first half to put the match beyond Colchester's reach.

Colchester contributed fully to an entertaining game with the towering Platt scoring from a splendid Granville left wing cross as the visitors had more of an influence on the game in the early part of the second half.

Stoke substituted Parkin for Sidibe and he had a hand in Stoke's winner,nodding a long ball clearance to Fuller who cleverly played Lawrence in from the right,the winger netting with a powerful shot.

Potter On The UP!! Stoke City FC 2 Colchester United 1n

Stoke won a good footballing encounter to propel themselves to 4th place in the Coca Cola Championship with a goal in each half from respectively Ryan Shawcross and Liam Lawrence.

The visitors contributed fully to an entertaining game.n

West Bromwich Albion 1 Stoke City FC 1

Baggies supporters who had conceded victory to their number 1 bogey team before this match began will no doubt be feeling mighty relieved. Baggies supporters who perhaps saw Sunday's 5 - 1 thrashing of QPR as a precursor to finally seeing off The Mighty Potters will no doubt be disappointed.The Potters team showed only one change from Saturday with Eustace replacing the injured Rory Delap,plus Vincent Pericard rejoining the bench after his enforced stay at Her Majesty's pleasure.

Stoke took the lead in this evening's clash with another headed goal from Ryan Shawcross in the 27th minute.Again Liam Lawrence provided the cross.They held the lead until the 73rd minute when failure to clear a free kick allowed Leon Barnett to put the home side back on terms.

As with Saturday's match at Leicester Stoke had 4 players booked,and lost Zakuani to injury.In their 9 matches so far Stoke have accumulated 19 bookings.By way of contrast WBA so far have only had 5 players booked.

Having dropped back to 10th position in the league overnight Stoke climb back to 7th spot.Former Stoke favourite Carl Hoefkens was replaced on 67 minutes,one of two substitutions made by Tony Mowbray to try and alter the course of the game.

This was billed by the Stoke Manager Tony Pulis as one of our most difficult matches of the season.A creditable draw then for a most resilient team that gives everything to the cause.To put the whole thing into context these were the first home points The Baggies have dropped this season,and only the second goal they have conceded at home.Well done Stoke !!!