Match Reports

Nationwide League Division 1

01 Jan 2003: Stoke City 2 Preston North End 1 Att: 14,862

FINAL SCORE BELIES POTTERS' DOMINANCE OVER LILYWHITES by AndyP

Perked up by the win over Sheffield Wednesday a few days earlier, and seeing the faltering form of Preston, I went to this game convinced that Stoke could take another vital three points from their first fixture of 2003. I reckoned that 2-0 might be a likely scoreline, feeling that a clean sheet was a real possibility, and if Stoke had held on for another 20 seconds at the end, my prediction would have been right! Despite murky stretches of motorway, the trip down with Log_of_Leeds and the Goat Major was enjoyable, especially with Led Zep blasting out of Log's motor! Before the match there was even time for a cheese oatcake (with brown sauce of course) and a pint of Peddy at the Beehive in Penkhull. TV funnyman Nick Hancock was there at the pub, and all felt good in the world with three points a certainty!

Pulis had promised once again to attack the opposition, and had the luxury of naming an unchanged side, sticking with the one that beat Wednesday. For the second game running we had seats towards the front of the Boothen End, so the view was not the best to appreciate some of the fine football that Stoke played in the first half, where they completely dominated the visitors. From the start Stoke went at them, and it was clear to see the Potters were fired up for the occasion and determined to carry on the new found winning ways. As early as the first minute a Hoekstra cross caused problems in the box for Preston. A minute later Gudjonsson tried a long range shot from a central position, but it hit a defender and bobbled harmlessly to the keeper. Preston tried their luck from 25 yards in the same minute but Alexander put his shot wide of the post. On 4 minutes a Preston free-kick from 35 yards out on the right was wasted as it was over-hit and went well wide. That just about concluded Preston's attacking involvement in the first half!

On 6 minutes a Stoke free-kick was headed down by Iwelumo, appeared to get stuck under Greenacre's feet, but it still ran to Gunnarsson and his shot was blocked. On 11 minutes a cross from Hall on the left was nodded down by Iwelumo again, and this time Greenacre ran on to it and it took a good challenge to scramble the ball clear. A minute later Hall's good work on the left set himself up for a decent cross which had to put behind for a corner with Iwelumo ready to pounce. The corner was fruitless as the keeper claimed it. On 13 minutes Stoke had another corner following a foul on Hoekstra, and the Dutchman's free-kick fell to Iwelumo whose shot was blocked (possibly by a hand?) Again the corner produced little, and was cleared. Stoke were turning the screw at this point, and after Thomas was tripped, Hoekstra put in another telling free-kick that Shtaniuk met with a fierce header. It looked a goal until the keeper Lucas produced a brilliant full length diving save to tip it over the bar for a corner. That was the first of a couple of corners in a row, but Stoke couldn't capitalise on the set pieces, and the final one was completely wasted as Gudjonsson and Hoekstra faffed about with it near the flag, and lost the ball!

On 17 minutes a nice exchange of passes by Preston put Cresswell in, but the flag had been raised for offside and Banks saved anyway! A minute later Gudjonsson slipped a fine ball through to Iwelumo which the big striker chased with the keeper, and Lucas had to put it behind for a corner. The set-piece was headed back across goal twice, but no Stoke player could apply the finishing touch, and eventually we were caught offiside. On 23 minutes Hoekstra won the ball well, then embarked on a run down the left, only for his cross to be too close to Lucas, and the keeper gathered. A minute later the former Ajax man skinned his marker, cut inside and unleashed a low shot which again Lucas gathered at the near post. Preston suffered a blow on 26 minutes when leading scorer Cresswell had to be replaced by Abbott. This seemed to gee them up for a few minutes and they linked well on the edge of the box before a handball teed up a shot, but the free-kick had been given to Stoke. Two minutes later it took a good tackle by Shtaniuk to avert danger and concede a corner, but Preston made nothing of the chance.

On 32 minutes Hoekstra fed Hall coming forward to support and his cross was met by a looping shot by Greenacre, but it was caught high by Lucas in goal. A minute later O'connor, Hoekstra and Gunnarsson were all involved in a fine flowing move that released Iwelumo wide on the right. The striker's cross was sadly low and poor, missing the players in the box. On 34 minutes Preston had another corner but Thomas got a good header out, and the ball back in went harmlessly out. At the other end 2 minutes later Stoke won a corner after a scramble in the Stoke box and a Hoekstra break. The cross was flicked across but headed wide. On 37 minutes a Gudjonsson cross was only cleared as far as O'Connor and his long range effort swerved and dipped as it flew just wide. On 39 minutes Stoke produced a moment of footballing genius that was worth the entrance fee alone! Handyside just outside his own area passed a diagonal ball to Hoekstra in midfield, who dummied it, letting it run out to the left wing where Hall was steaming on to meet it in acres of space. It completely bewitched the entire Preston team (and most of the crowd!) and Hall's cross was put behind for a corner. The ball over was flicked on by Iwelumo and it shot across goal and wide.

On 42 minutes Stoke finally got the reward their fine first half play merited, and it was a well worked goal. Hall knocked a long ball forward from just inside the Preston half, Iwelumo climbed well on the edge of the box and flicked it on into the area just around the penalty spot. Greenacre dummied the ball in leaving it to Gunnarsson arriving unmarked behind him, and the Icelander cooly slotted it into the far corner from about 8 yards, just under the diving Lucas. If that wasn't good enough, Stoke doubled their lead on 44 minutes, this time Hoekstra getting just rewards for his fine first half performance. Thomas broke from defence, rode a tackle and surged forward before sending a good ball out to Iwelumo hovering on the right. Big Chris cut inside, and near the edge of the box in a central position tried to slip a ball left to Hoesktra who was running in to join the attack. Iwelumo's ball took a lucky deflection and ran into the box infront of Hoekstra kindly, and he sped in to slip the ball past Lucas down at his feet and into the net from about 10 yards. The quick two goal salvo seemed to devastate Preston, but to be fair a two goal lead was no more than Stoke deserved for their total control of the first half, and sometimes delightful creation of chances. Half-time 2-0.

At the start of the second half, Preston Lucas keeper was substituted with Moilanen taking his place between the sticks. Preston couldn't be as poor after the break as in the first half, and sure enough for the first few minutes they came at Stoke and made life a little uneasy. On 50 minutes Etuhu slipped in a good ball through Stoke's defence but Abbott couldn't quite get on to it, so Banks claimed it. At the other end in the same minute, Iwelumo's knock down to Gudjonsson ended in a soft shot looping into the keeper's arms. Stoke had a let off on 52 minutes. Thomas sent a terrible back header under no real pressure to Banks, but it was misdirected and went for a corner. From the cross Preston got a free header on target but luckily it was straight into Banks' arms, and he clutched it to him in relief. Two minutes later Banks was in action again making a fine low save, turning a free-kick from Alexander on the left side of the box around the post for a corner. From the resulting cross Banks punched powerfully away and Stoke cleared. On 57 minutes Gudjonsson povided a bit of respite, earning a corner for Stoke with a good run and shot. The corner was punched clear, Greenacre turned it back in, and Gunnarsson could only direct his header upwards into the air, so the keeper claimed easily. A minute later a Preston free-kick on the left, after a Thomas foul, was headed goalwards, and a Stoke touch took it away for a corner. Once again Preston managed a free header from the cross but it was over.

After this spell of Preston pressure Stoke began to take control of things again. On 60 minutes Etuhu found himself booked for a nasty chop to end Gudjonsson's run. A minute later a brilliant ball from the little Icelander to Greeancre won Stoke a corner. It was a poor delivery but it fell to Gudjonsson and his shot was blocked and cleared. On 63 minutes Stoke won a free-kick on the edge of the area after a good build up was ended with a tug on Greenacre. The Potters tried a clever routine which just failed to pick out a man in the box from Gudjonsson's back heel, and it was hacked clear. On 67 minutes a brilliant O'Connor ball got Hall behind the defence and his cross appeared to come off a defender for a corner, but the referee awarded a goal-kick. A minute later there was another bizarre piece of officiating when Iwelumo was given offside standing in his own half! Stoke were searching for another goal now, and on 69 minutes they came close twice. Iwelumo's battling run down the right won a corner, and the cross in was met powerfully by Shtaniuk on the volley. It was heading in until blocked, and the ball was sent back into the box, before finally arriving at O'Connor who pulled a shot/cross across the box which missed any connection and just went the wrong side of the far post for a goal-kick.

On 70 minutes Stoke had another scare when a cross whipped in by Alexander from the left was met by Abbott's volley from 4 yards which hit the underside of the bar and flew to safety. The clearance fell to Hoekstra who sped up the left wing and had a hard low shot smothered at the near post by Moilanen. Preston made their final change on 72 minutes, switching Etuhu for Mears. A minute later McKenna was shown a yellow card for hacking down Gudjonsson as he picked up the loose ball in midfield. On 76 minutes a good Stoke move played Hoekstra in on the left, and his cross was headed behind by a defender under good pressure by Iwelumo. Once again the official got it wrong and awarded a goal-kick. In the same minute Preston had a corner but the delivery was woefully deep and poor allowing Thomas to break and ride two tackles on a run before the ball eventually ran out. Mears found himself booked on 78 minutes for a foul on Hall after he'd conceded a throw-in. A minute later Hoekstra came off to great applause, and was replaced by Neal. On 81 minutes Banks did well to tip over a long range effort from Abbott, and from the resulting corner the ball shot across the box with no connection from either side.

On 87 minutes Iwelumo stormed off on a run down the right, cut inside, moved in on goal, and it took an excellent last ditch tackle by the defender to thwart a shot on target. Two minutes later Neal's fine cross from the left was headed out for a corner with Iwelumo ready to swoop. In stoppage time Banks made a incredible point-blank save from a left wing cross which was met by Abbott's powerful downward header. It was a world-class effort which Gordon Banks would have been proud of! It seemed after that save that Stoke would be earning their first clean sheet since the opening day of the season. However from the resulting corner Banks was finally beaten, and Abbott had his reward for several decent efforts on goal. The initial cross was headed out to the left by Stoke, but the ball back in from Barry-Murphy was blocked at the near post, yet fell invitingly to the unmarked Abbott to side foot home from 6 yards. There was enough time for O'Connor to hoof the ball down the pitch from the restart before the ref put his whistle to his lips and blew for full-time. Final score 2-1.

Team Marks:

GK Banks (8) A couple of very good saves, and one that was breathtakingly world class! I hope we can sign this guy permanently

RB Thomas (7) A decent effort from Thomas apart from the dreadful back header that nearly cost us dear. Good going forward.

LB Hall (8) Another very good game, getting forward to link well with Hoekstra, and did well at the back. Also involved in the opening goal.

CB Shtaniuk (8) Good stuff from Shtaniuk, dealing well with the Preston forward line.

CB Handyside (8) Much better of late from Handyside. Once again, dealt well with the Preston attacks when they came.

RM Gudjonsson (8) Good creative play, as you now expect from the revitalised Bjarni. Some crosses lacked a little, but his runs troubled Preston judging by the number of times they had to bring him down to stop them!

CM Gunnarsson (8) Close to his best again. Involved in some great Stoke passing moves and finished his goal very well.

CM O'Connor (7) Lots of good effort as usual, and better passing. Unlucky with a cross/shot across goal and a first half shot.

LM Hoekstra (8) Genius in the first half, with plenty of runs, dangerous crosses, a goal, and that stunning dummy which fooled about 14,000 people as well as the entire Preston team!

CF Greenacre (7) Ran around willingly and made intelligent use of the ball. Picked up on Iwelumo's flicks fairly well. A hard worker. No real gilt-edged chances fell his way. Good dummy for Gunnarsson's goal

CF Iwelumo (8) Like against Sheffield hard-working and committed, winning plenty of headers. His flick on led to Gunnarsson's goal and his run and pass set up Hoekstra for the second.[STARMAN]

SUBS

Neal (6) Came on in last 10 minutes to steady the ship and did okay. Decent cross from him nearly found Iwelumo before being turned behind by a defender.

Conclusion

An excellent first half display from Stoke produced two fine goals and merited many more. Stoke completely outplayed Preston in that period, and the football was a delight to watch. In the second half Preston had chances themselves but decent defending, quality saves, and a little bit of luck kept Stoke on top. Once these periods of pressure had been weathered Stoke still controlled the game, and while not as threatening to the extent of the first half, looked capable of adding a third. Stoke could not prevent a stoppage time consolation goal for Preston, which was pity as 2-1 made it look a closer result than it was, and once again we couldn't keep a clean sheet. Overall a performance to be very pleased with, and a few more like this between now and May, and we'll be leaving the relegation places well behind!

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