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.
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