Stoke City rue missed chances, says boss Tony Pulis

Stoke City boss Tony Pulis has said his side have paid the price for squandering too many chances.

The Potters lost 1-0 to Blackpool at the Britannia Stadium thanks to Dudley Campbell’s second-half goal.

Pulis conceded after the match that it was ‘one of those days’.

Tony Pulis

He told BBC Sport: “We created more chances today (December 11) than we have done in other Premier League matches.

“We had opportunities and won every header from the corners but didn’t hit the target.”

Both sides squandered early chances in a goalless first-half.

Matthew Etherington and Kenwyne Jones linked up well but the latter’s headed effort flew narrowly over the crossbar.

Blackpool found their feet in the game and came perilously close following Robert Huth’s slip.

The German’s mistake was picked up by Neil Eardley whose teasing cross was blocked by Andy Wilkinson, the rebound falling kindly to Campbell who lashed his volley wide.

Blackpool nearly broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time but were denied by Asmir Begovic who pulled off a superb one-handed save to deny Campbell.

There were chances for both sides at the start of the second-half, but it was the visitors that made sure of their opportunity.

Britannia Stadium

Ricardo Fuller failed to take advantage of a clear run on goal, and Blackpool countered the attack. Charlie Adam whipped in a teasing ball from the left and found Campbell prowling in the six-yard box with a simple tap-in from close range.

Stoke piled the pressure on, and hit the woodwork three times through Fuller, Etherington and Rory Delap but the visitors somehow managed to hold out.

Pulis said Blackpool’s ‘game of lottery’ worked for them.

He added: “They took their chances and won the game.

“Fair play to them, they have thrown the dice and their playing a game of lottery at times because they play very open and it came up trumps today.

“The lads worked hard – but I didn’t think it was going to be our day and it turned out that way.”

The result leaves the Potters in 11th place with a trip to Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium to look forward to next week.

Did you go the game? Let North Staffs Football know your thoughts!

Tony Pulis disappointed with 2-2 draw at Wigan

Tony Pulis

Stoke City boss Tony Pulis has admitted he is disappointed after the Potters drew 2-2 with Wigan Athletic.

Stoke twice took the lead through Robert Huth and Matthew Etherington but an own goal from Danny Collins and Tom Cleverley’s deflected shot gave both sides a share of the points at the DW Stadium.

Pulis described the result as ‘desperately disappointing’ but added that his team can’t be greedy.

He told BBC Sport: “It was an open game and we are desperately disappointed to concede two goals but it is a much tighter and compact league this year and we will take every point we can.

“They had their chances and opportunities but we played with four forwards and to come away from home like that just shows that we are trying to be positive.”

The draw leaves Stoke in seventh place, and more importantly five points off an elusive European Cup spot.

Weekend round-up as non-league side’s freeze

The weekend’s cold snap, with below-freezing temperatures and snow for some caused havoc for Saturday football matches.

Officials across the county have had to call a number of games off due to frozen pitches as temperatures as low as minus 7C hit Staffordshire.

In the Evo-Stik First Division South, Leek Town‘s charity match against Glapwell was postponed as freezing weather in Mansfield left officials with no choice but to call the game off.

Cold snap puts a freeze on matches

Stafford Rangers ‘s match at Harrogate Town also fell foul to the weather and was cancelled following a pitch inspection at 8.30am on Saturday (November 27) morning due to a frozen pitch.

 

Newcastle Town‘s trip to Belper Town was cancelled after a 9.00am pitch inspection due to a frozen pitch – in which Belper’s ground was under four inches of snow.

Kidsgrove Athletic‘s match at Shepshed Dynamo was also ruled out after a 10.30am pitch inspection.

Stoke City kept their game on against Manchester City and salvaged a point at the Britannia Stadium thanks to Matthew Etherington’s injury-time goal.

After a goalless first-half the visitors looked to have nicked all three points through Micah Richards’s superb strike, but Etherington latched onto Tuncay Sanli’s back-heel to smash the ball into the net.

In League Two there was better news for Crewe fans who made the trip to Lancashire-outfit Morecambe.

Clayton Donaldson fired Alex into an early lead four minutes in, and Byron Moore doubled the advantage on the stroke of half-time.

Morecambe halved the deficit through Chris Shuker but plaudits go to Alex stopper Rhys Taylor who saved Phil Jevons’s penalty to give Dario Gradi’s men all three points.

Burton Albion progressed to the lucrative third-round of the FA Cup with a 3-1 win at the Pirelli against Chesterfield.

Aaron Webster and Jacques Maghoma sent the Brewers into a 2-0 lead at half-time, but Chesterfield made it a nervy end after Jordan Bowery’s late strike.

The match was sealed though as James Collins broke past the visitors defence and curled the ball around the Spireites keeper.

Port Vale were in action on Friday night (November 26) but they scraped into the third-round as well with a 1-0 win over Accrington Stanley, thanks to Justin Richards’s first-half strike.

Did you go to any of the games? Let North Staffs Football know what you think and listen to our weekend report below:
http://www.onmvoice.com/player/player.swf?a=34905&ap=0&color=default

Curzon Ashton Football Club, who play in the Evo-Stik Premier Division have their own way of combating the freezing conditions:

Pulis praises character after West Brom win

Stoke City made it three-successive wins on Saturday (Nov 20) with a superb 3-0 win over Midlands rivals West Bromwich Albion.

The match-winning second-half performance included converted penalties from Matthew Etherington and Jon Walters.

Walters rubbed salt into West Brom wounds three minutes into injury time as he shot and then reacted quickest to the rebound.

Speaking after the match, Tony Pulis said he was delighted with his side’s performance.

Tony Pulis

He added: “It is a massive win. We have played better before in some games away from home and not picked up any points so I am pleased.

“They shaded the first-half but as soon as we scored the first goal I could not see anybody else winning it.”

The Potters run is on the back of five successive defeats in the league and cups, but Pulis said this reaction from the players is a sign of good character.

He added: “It is another great result for the players. We have won two local derby’s and beaten Liverpool.

“The players thrive on confidence but we will try and stay as level headed as we can but it is such a tough league.”

Late Dean Whitehead goal clinches Stoke City victory

Dean Whitehead grabbed Stoke City’s winning goal as they edged a frantic 3-2 win over Birmingham City, writes Ted Woodward.

Robert Huth put the Potters 1-0 up before the break pouncing on a loose ball and Ricardo Fuller’s superb individual effort doubled the home side’s advantage.

But Birmingham responded through Keith Fahey’s strike and Cameron Jerome’s header to level the score.

Whitehead (pictured) secured Stoke’s first win in five matches as he picked up a deflected Matthew Etherington cross to scramble the ball over a sprawling Ben Foster in the Blues goal.

The Potters started the game the better of the side’s and in a half of few chances looked more likely to break the deadlock.

Tony Pulis’s men were rewarded for their persistence and took the lead at the end of a dull first half.

Dean Whitehead

Kenywne Jones’s effort rebounded off Birmingham’s defence and Robert Huth pounced to rifle past Foster who could only struggle to get a hand to the ball as it nestled inside the keepers left-hand post.

Foster was easily Birmingham’s best player in the first half, twice thwarting Stoke by bravely diving in at the feet of both Fuller and Danny Higginbotham.

In the second half Stoke’s wingers Jermaine Pennant and Etherington caused problems for the opposition with their teasing crosses into the Birmingham area.

However the tide soon turned for Birmingham when Alex McLeish withdrew the ineffectual Jean Beausejour and replaced him with Irishman Keith Fahey.

Fahey’s introduction allowed Birmingham to get a foothold in the game as they began to heap pressure on Stoke pinning them back in their own half.

Asmir Begovic was called into action to deny Roger Johnson, forcing the Bosnian, who was making only his eighth appearance for The Potters, to tip the ball over the bar.

Cameron Jerome should have put Birmingham level when he was released down the left side of the Stoke penalty area but failed to finish as the ball was hurriedly cleared away.

From the resulting clearance Pennant picked up the ball on the edge of his own area and worked hard to find Fuller just inside the opposition half.

The burley Jamaican then charged at the Birmingham defence cutting in from the right before curling a beautifully placed left-footed shot past the Blues stopper Foster to score his 100th goal in British football.

A frantic five minutes soon followed with Birmingham super-sub Fahey chesting down a headed Stoke clearance and placing the ball between three defenders and the post to pull a goal back for the visitors.

Moments later Stephen Carr crossed into the Stoke five-yard area and met a rising Cameron Jerome who was able to guide the ball across Begovic’s goal into the bottom corner.

Birmingham then pushed for the winner, Craig Gardner twice testing Begovic with long range strikes.

Britannia Stadium

But it was Stoke who were to secure their first league win in five games as Birmingham failed to clear a harmless Stoke free-kick which fell to Matthew Etherington.

The winger, who had threatened throughout the game, slipped a tricky little ball into the area and Scott Dann let the ball bobble between his legs allowing Whitehead to secure a much needed win for Tony Pulis’ side.

The manager, who has seen his team suffer at the hands of some debatable refereeing decisions this season, will have had no problems with tonight’s official Mark Clatterberg, who had very little trouble to deal with throughout the game.

The win sees Stoke rise above Birmingham to 15th in the Premier League and three points away from the relegation zone in what was the visitors 100th Premier League defeat.

Stoke City: Begovic, Higginbotham, Huth, Faye, Collins, Pennant (Whelan 73), Whitehead, Delap, Etherington (Wilson (90), Fuller (Walters 90+4), Jones

Subs not used: Sorensen, Wilkinson, Sanli, Gudjohnsen

To listen to a review of all the weekend’s games, click on the link below.

http://www.onmvoice.com/player/player.swf?a=33604&ap=0&color=default

Etherington urges fans not to panic

Stoke City midfielder Matthew Etherington has stressed there is no need for panic after the side’s 1-0 defeat to Everton on Saturday (Oct 30).

The 29-year-old has re-assured fans saying that it will be an improvement in performances rather than a change in fortune that will end a month-long stretch of defeats in the league.

Britannia Stadium

The Potters were on the end of a dubious disallowed goal as referee Lee Probert blew for a foul on Leighton Baines just after Tuncay has smashed the ball from close-range.

Etherington told the Stoke City club website: “We aren’t going to panic, especially with the league so tight as it is at the moment.

“A couple of good results and we will climb back into the top half again”.

The Potters sit 16th, just a single point above the three ominous relegation spots ahead of a trip to Sunderland on Saturday (Nov 6).

Let North Staffs Football know your score predictions for Saturday.