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!!
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