Saturday, December 29, 2007

8 Matches Without Defeat.....and Counting! Plymouth 2 Stoke City FC 2

Stoke had the chances to win this match and claim all three points but in the end it was not to be. Cresswell put the Potters ahead in the 8th minute.On 32 minutes Fuller rounded the home keeper but unfortunately struck his shot against the post.

Plymouth never looked likely until they picked up a rather fortuitous penalty three minutes from the break.Shawcross slid in to tackle last season Stoke loanee Martin.The ball struck his hand....a yellow card and a penalty!Keeper Russell Hoult,in for Simonsen,saved the spot kick from Ebanks-Blake,butas the ball rebounded out he could do nothing about the follow up.Immediately Stoke could and should have restored their lead, responding with Sidibe contriving to head wide of an open goal when it was more difficult not to score.

As at Barnsley on Boxing Day, the home side came more into the game in the second half.Against the run of play though Shawcross headed Stoke into the lead in the 57th minute,his 7th goal of the season.Ten minutes later Plymouth were back on terms when Timar scored after Hoult - there's a suggestion that he was impeded - failed to cut out a cross ball.

Hoult was sent off for fouling as he challenged for an up and over ball.The ten men successfully held out for 15 minutes or so.One point definitely better than none,and although Stoke drop to fourth place they are still only one win off the second automatic promotion place.

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