Match Reports

Nationwide League Division 1

07 Dec 2002: Stoke City 1 Coventry City 2 Att: 12,760

GAME SLIPS AWAY FROM STOKE AND INTO FARCE THANKS TO INEPT REFEREE by AndyP

Many managers and supporters often turn to the referee when they are looking for excuses for a defeat. In many instances it is simply a case of sour grapes. But when the manager of the victorious side criticises the referee as strongly as the loser, and Nigel Johnson of BBC Radio Stoke discribes his display as "inept", you know that you have witnessed a travesty brought about by the man in black. Mr Hall of Birmingham produced one of the most dreadful performances I have ever seen from a referee which not only ruined the game as a spectacle for the supporters, but rendered a battling Stoke display totally fruitless. In a game that contained few hard tackles of note, the hapless Hall managed to issue 11 yellow cards and 2 reds, finally reducing Stoke to 9 men and scuppered any chance of Stoke taking anything from a game they deserved something from.

With Coventry's recent poor form and Stoke's gritty point at Gillingham last week I had genuine hopes for three points from this game. Pulis had managed to add two new faces to the squad on loan, so Steve Banks started in goal for us, and Marcus Hall replaced the injured Clarke at leftback. Pulis favoured 4-4-2 at home, so Marteinsson went back on to the bench after his holding role at Gillingham, and Hoekstra returned to the left flank to give us more attacking options. After his good showing a week earlier, Iwelumo joined Greenacre in attack.

It took just 2 minutes for referee Hall to make his mark on the game. Thomas committed a foul 25 yards out on the left hand side in his usual clumsy way. However Mr Hall decided this was a bookable offence and brandished his first yellow card of the afternoon. Someone next to me said "well he'll have to book eveything now if that merits a yellow card". Little did we know that such a prediction would come so horribly true over the course of the 90 minutes! The free-kick was swung in and Thomas headed clear well. Stoke began to take the game to Coventry and on 4 minutes Shaw went into the book for Coventry for a foul 35 yards out. Gudjonsson's freekick to the left of the box was headed back across goal, and Thomas' header back across goal went well wide left of the post.

On 10 minutes Stoke produced a great move when Greenacre linked with Hoekstra and his ball released Hall on the left to whip in a dangerous cross which was deflected away by the defence before it could fall to Stoke attackers at the back post. Stoke were looking confident and attempted an excellent free-kick routine a minute later. Awarded a kick 30 yards out on the right, it looked like Hoekstra was lining up to shoot when he slipped a pass into the box to Greenacre which wrong footed the defence. With his back to goal he flicked the ball onwards into the path of a Stoke player, but the ball was scrambled out for a corner before they could connect. On 13 minutes Gunnarsson charged forward, flicked the ball up to take it past the defender, and looped an effort from 18 yards that the keeper took high beneath the bar.

On 15 minutes a great ball from Hoekstra into the right channel found Thomas who was steaming down the right to meet it, and his cross won a corner. However from the set-piece the ball was punched clear and started what proved to be a costly counter attack against Stoke. After two passes Hignett picked up the ball and played a superb cross-field pass to Jay Bothroyd out on the right, and he ran into the area to fire a curling shot across Banks and into the far corner from about 10 yards. It was Coventry's first real effort on goal, and came against the run of play, but it was a class move and finish.

A minute after conceding Stoke won a free-kick on the left side, Bothroyd was booked, and the kick advanced 10 yards to the edge of the area presumably for dissent. Gudjonsson's cross was headed clear, but O'Connor returned a good angled ball back in which had to be headed out for a corner. This led to a headed effort wide by Stoke. On 18 minutes A powerful Gunnarsson header forward past the defence seemed to release Iwelumo, but he lost the chase to the ball, beaten by the keeper when he'd looked favourite. A minute later Shtaniuk pushed up and as the defence backed off he tried his luck from long range but his shot went well wide. Sadly a few moments later Stoke were 2-0 down. Another cross-field ball to Bothroyd was lunged at by Marcus Hall 35 yards out trying to intercept, but he missed it leaving Bothroyd space and time to advance into the area and dispatch another superb curling shot into the same corner as his first, from a similar range. It was another piece of excellent finishing but there was a suspicion of handball as he controlled it (met with a large shout), but the referee motioned that it had struck his chest.

So once again Stoke found themsleves 2-0 down at home 20 minutes into a game. To their credit they strove to get back into the game, and there was no apparent dropping of heads. On 23 minutes Gudjonsson whipped in a great cross from the right but it was gathered well by the keeper under pressure. A minute later Stoke won a free-kick as Hoekstra was felled on the left side. The set-piece was rolled to Thomas who hit a woeful shot wide and high. On 28 minutes Hoekstra put in a superb cross from the left and it was met by the diving head of Iwelumo who looked certain to score, but somehow the effort was blocked on the line and cleared. A minute later Gudjonsson put in a cross from the right and Gunnarsson's header from the edge of the box went straight into the keeper's arms. At the other end on 30 minutes Hall had to block an effort from Bothroyd for a corner as he'd got clear of his marker again at the back post. Coventry almost extended their lead on 33 minutes as Hignett fluffed his shot and failed to connect from 6 yards.

Gudjonsson the went on a great mazey run and was felled about 20 yards from goal. That earned a booking for Safri and about the only one merited in the game. Hoekstra took the free-kick and it deflected off the wall and nestled in the far corner of the net to make it 1-2 which was no more than was deserved by Stoke. Sadly it was Hoekstra's last contribution as he was substituted on 36 minutes following a hamstring injury, so Pulis threw Goodfellow into the fray. On 39 minutes Gunnarsson was booked for a hard but fair tackle, and was involved again two minutes later as he headed clear a Coventry corner. Just before half time Goodfellow picked up the ball in midfield, and a little spurt of speed took him out towards the left edge of the box where he clipped a ball back towards Greenacre who was ajudged to have fouled the keeper in the battle for the ball. Halt-time Stoke 1 Coventry 2

Two minutes into the second half Coventry won a corner but it was cleared long and Goodfellow made a run from his own half before cutting the ball back into the path of Gunnarsson whose 20 yard effort was smothered low down by the keeper. Stoke were nearly caught two minutes later when a Coventry free-kick was played quickly into the box, and a shot from Holdsworth a few yards out went wide of the far post. Goodfellow was involved again on 54 minutes running on to Greenacre's flick, beating the keeper to the ball and going around him before delivering a cross back into the middle with the keeper way out of his goal. It was now a contest between the last defender and Iwelumo and the Boothen End was stunned to see the defender having the time and space to head clear from under his own bar while Iwelumo stood and watched! Nothing was going Stoke's way as O'Connor found himself in the book for dissent questioning another dodgy decision by Mr Hall.

On 60 minutes Stoke produced a nice move which should have counted for more. Iwelumo won the ball in the air flicking down to Greenacre running on. He slipped the ball back into the path of Iwelumo, and he looked to shoot but delayed it long enough to allow three defenders to dive in to block and virtually sit on the ball. The ball did not run free for Stoke in the melee, and the chance went begging. It was Iwelumo's last offering as he was taken off to great cheers, and replaced by Cooke on 61 minutes. Stoke then upped the tempo and started a period of pressure resulting in 3 corners and a free-kick close in. The quality of the final ball was letting Stoke down, although one Gudjonsson cross narrowly missed Shtaniuk's head as he flung himself towards it. Greenacre was the next Stoke player in the book on 67 minutes for following through on the keeper. A minute later Gunnarsson slipped a fine pass to Gudjonsson running into the space on the right flank, and his dangerous cross was cleared. On 69 minutes hard work by Cooke earned a corner which was again fruitless. On 70 minutes Hall was booked, but worse came on 72 minutes when the referee saw Partridge's dive differently and claimed Thomas fouled him. If it was a foul (and that's debatable) it wasn't a bookable offence, but that didn't stop the clueless ref producing a second yellow card, and Thomas was off.

Stoke had been pressing hard up to that point to get back in the game with Coventry largely spent as an attacking force. But with Gudjonsson now forced to play at rightback, our attacking options dried up too. It was now a case of trying to make something of set pieces and forced errors. The shakey Coventry keeper nearly presented such a chance on 75 minutes, dropping the ball but it did not fall kindly and Gunnarsson could only force a corner off the keeper. Like most of the corners it was gathered comfortably by the keeper under no real pressure. On 79 minutes O'Connor tried hi sluck from 20 yards, but the keeper went down low to smother. On 84 minutes Hall pushed up to get on the end of a good ball and his cross was put behind for a corner. Needless to say this was claimed by the keeper. Three minutes from time the referee produced another incredible decision and sent off Gunnarsson. Gunnarsson went into the area and challenged two Coventry players for a loose bouncing ball. There was a loud cheer as it actually looked as though the referee was pointing to the penalty spot as all three players went to ground. However to the disbelief of everyone inside the Britannia, he gave a free-kick to Coventry and showed Gunnarsson a second yellow card! It was an appalling decision and capped a display of unbelievable ineptitude from the referee.

Down to nine men Stoke chased the Coventry keep-ball gamely but this was not to be their day. Unsurprisingly they failed to create any chances in the final 3 minutes and stoppage time as Coventry cantered to a precious win. Stoke had battled, deserved to take something from the game, but had been undone by two moments of quality and a referee not fit to grace a match on Wolstanton Marsh between two local boozers. Stoke were applauded off for their efforts, while the referee would have had no doubts about what the Stoke public though of him!

Team Marks:

GK Banks (6) Not at fault for the goals which were superb shots. Gordon Banks would have struggled to save them! Largely unemployed for most of the game.

RB Thomas (6) Wasn't that bad until unfairly sent off.

LB Hall (5) Not a particularly good game. Got forward and sent in a couple of decent crosses. Out of postion for the first goal and at fault for the second. A tad rusty?

CB Shtaniuk (6) Doesn't look the player we know he can be. Wanting away?

CB Handyside (6) Average. Still allowing us to concede goals.

RM Gudjonsson (7) Good creative play, but crosses often to easy for the defence. Looked most likely to come up with something for us.

CM Gunnarsson (7) Much more like it. Looked fitter and chased the ball more, winning it well in midfield. Linked well with Bjarni, and was also desperately unlucky to receive his marching orders. [STARMAN]

CM O'Connor (7) A decent showing. Never tired, got stuck in, chased everything, and tried to gee the team up when we were down.

LM Hoekstra (7) Some tricky skills and decent crosses early on. Fortunate to score, and unlucky to pick up another injury. We might have taken something from this game with him still on the pitch.

CF Greenacre (6) Ran around willingly and came short to receive the ball. Didn't get much service. Some nice touches. Set Big Chris up twice for fruitless efforts. Anonymous at times.

CF Iwelumo (4) Poor. Hardly won anything with his head, but missed a good chance from a close range diving header. Stood and watched another gilt-edged chance be cleared by a defender in the second half. Deserved to be subbed.

SUBS

Goodfellow (6) Ran around willingly and set up a couple of good chances with his runs.

Cooke(6) Huffed and puffed and gave the defence more to think about than Iwelumo, but didn't have a single chance on goal.

Conclusion

The referee was an absolute pillock, and once Thomas had gone we would always struggle to get anything from this game. His officious handling of the game, stopping it for for any slight challenge, and waving the yellow card for pathetic offences ruined this match, and made it difficult for players to give their all in tackles for fear of going off. He was fooled by Coventry's play acting, and pressured by the wily McAllister. But we cannot lay the blame fully on the referee. The first goal was a classy move and finish, but the second was more sloppy defending. We cannot give sides two goal advantages and expect to win. Once again we looked goal-shy in attack and once Hoekstra went off we lacked decent deliveries into the box. Gudjonsson got balls in but they were either too close to the keeper or not anticipated by our forwards. We were unlucky when Iwelumo's header was cleared on the line, but it was unforgivable as he stood and watched a cross be headed clear from under the bar instead of attacking it.

On the positive side we maintained our belief and battled on after going 2 goals down and then having Thomas sent off. Once again its another sob-story of losing a game that we deserved to take something from. We really don't look that bad a team. Overall we had more possession and chances than Coventry, but lacked the skillful finisher required upfront. The Stoke team bus must have run over a black cat to receive the kind of luck we're having of late, now losing Hoekstra to an injury and getting the ref from hell, meaning two totally unwarranted dismissals. We've looked better than Millwall and Grimsby and on par with Coventry in the last three home matches, but have taken nothing in the way of points. It will be a hard Christmas period with suspensions and injuries. As I said in my last report, the great team effort is all well and good but without some luck on our side and a few goals to show for our endeavours, we'll be doomed come May. You wonder where the next win will come from. The depression mounts!

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