Match Reports

Nationwide League Division 1

28 Dec 2002: Stoke City 3 Sheffield Wednesday 2 Att: 16,042

STOKE FINALLY GET A DESERVED WIN WITH LAST MINUTE STRIKE by AndyP

If there was a game Stoke had to win to start a revival it was this one. It was a real six-pointer with Wednesday below us in the table, a side that were certainly beatable, but desperate for the points and likely to put a fight. I went to this game full of dread, knowing we had to win, and a defeat would probably leave us doomed to relegation. In the end it was a thriller of a match, with Stoke creating enough chances to win it more comfortably, missing them, and relying on a very late strike to earn Pulis his first win, and renew the hope of the beleaguered Stoke fans.

Pulis knew he had to go for broke in this game, promising to attack the Owls, so he brought in Gunnarsson back from suspension, and replaced Henry and Neal with Gudjonsson and Hoekstra. It was unfortunate for Marteinsson and the two young lads as they had played so well at Bradford. However if Stoke were to create goal scoring chances Pulis had to pick his most creative team, and he did just that. Big Chris and Little Chris continued their partnership upfront, with Cooke sidelined by injury.

Stoke started brightly, with a Gudjonsson run earning Stoke a free-kick after he was fouled on 2 minutes. Hoekstra tried an effort from range but Stringer in goal went down well to smother. A minute later Stoke had a real scare at the other end when Thomas conceded a free-kick on the left edge of the box which must have been inches from being a penalty. The chance was wasted as it was blasted into the side netting. Stoke went back at Wednesday with a Gudjonsson cross from the right flicked on by Iwelumo, another Stoke player headed back towards goal but Stringer claimed it and a flag had been raised for offside too. Perhaps eager to atone his early mistake, Thomas when on a rampaging run up the right wing, skipping over two challenges in the process. Sadly he ran out of room and could not deliver a ball in, challenged down by the corner flag. The Stoke fans were angry on 7 minutes when an offside decision was not given allowing a shot from 15 yards which luckily was woefully wide. A minute later Stoke had a free-kick 30 yards out centrally placed after Iwelumo was clambered upon. Gudjonsson hit a curling shot straight at the keeper. On 9 minutes Stoke had their first decent chance. Gunnarsson did well in midfield and fed Hoekstra on the left. The Dutchman's deep cross was headed over from a tight angle by Iwelumo at the far post. Gunnarsson was involved again a minute later. Gudjonsson played a good ball to Hoekstra who slipped a pass for Gunnarsson to run into the box, but the Icelander just failed to cut the ball back as Stringer gathered low.

It was all Stoke at this point, and on 13 minutes Crane found himself in the book after halting a surging run by Iwelumo. The free kick was taken quickly, and Hoekstra's cross picked out Thomas who headed back to Iwelumo to shoot into the clutches of the keeper. Stoke were guilty of not playing to the whistle on 14 minutes when the ref missed a handball, and McLaren shot over poorly at the back post from 8 yards, with the defence stopping to appeal for the foul. However Stoke were soon celebrating as they took a deserved lead on 16 minutes. A Gudjonsson corner went deep to the back post, Thomas headed it back across goal, and Iwelumo powered home a header off the underside of the bar from five yards. The Britannia Stadium errupted and the atmosphere intensified. Sadly rather than settling Stoke, the goal woke Wednesday from their slumbers, and they began to come back into the game quite forcefully. On 18 minutes Proudlock made a good run down the right evading a decent tackle from O'Connor in the process, and put a low ball across the 6 yard box which neither side could get on the end of. Sheffield began to pressure Stoke and it took a series of clearing headers under pressure to end the danger.

A goal looked now very likely and it came on 23 minutes. Thomas was beaten on the left wing, Johnston pulled back a fierce low cross which eluded Handyside's lunge at the near post, flew past a static Shtaniuk, and was met by Sibon sliding in at the far post with Banks helpless. Stoke were now rocking and had a let off on 25 minutes when from a corner Bradbury put a free header over from 8 yards. On 27 minutes Iwelumo was booked for a clumsy leap, and 2 minutes later Banks had to rush out to meet a suicidal back-pass from Thomas, managing to just clear the striker as he closed in. On 33 minutes a dangerous Wednesday cross eluded everone and Banks was able to clutch it to him. The keeper was involved in another incident 2 minutes later, when he and Shtaniuk went for the same ball in the 6 yard area, collided and Banks almost spilt it for Sheffield to score. Shtaniuk was poll-axed by the bump, yet he received no sympathy from Banks who angrily told him he'd ignored the keeper's call. There was a bit of handbags as the two men stood eye-to-eye exchanging obscenities, but thankfuly it didn't come to blows! It showed that Stoke were clearly rattled by the Wednesday resurgence and I feared a second goal. On 36 minutes Wednesday had a shot from 20 yards, and Banks had to tip it over well for a corner.

That marked the switch in play, and again Stoke began to get back into the game and slowly started to dominate following 15 minutes of Sheffield superiority. On 37 minutes Greenacre ran down the right, crossed low into the centre, and Iwelumo mistimed his shot and wasted a good chance. A minute later Hoekstra's cross from the left was headed well wide by Iwelumo. It was all Stoke now, and on 40 minutes a great cross from Gudjonsson's corner was met by the free header of Shtaniuk which blazed downwards and wide. On 41 minutes Gunnarsson made a great storming run from midfield, riding two tackles, but as he entered the area his ball slipped through was gathered by the keeper. A minute later a cross from the right was gathered by the keeper after an Iwelumo header down. On 43 minutes Gudjonsson's cross from the right was hit first time by Greenacre, but it was blocked on its way to goal, and a second Stoke shot in the ensuing scramble was gathered by Stringer. Late on in the half a period of sustained prressure and numerous crosses from Stoke had Wednesday on the rack. However they were awarded a corner late on when the ref saw a defelection that no one else did, but thankfully the visitors failed to capitalise on his generosity. Finally just before the half-time whistle, Hoekstra' cross was nodded down by Iwelumo into the path of Greenacre. Little Chris seemed to be flattened when about to shoot, but the ref was not interested in the loud penalty appeal from fans and players. Half-time 1-1

I don't know what Chris Turner said to his players during the interval, but in the second half they showed no evidence of the dangers they posed Stoke during their dominant spell. In fact the second peroid was entirely one-sided with Stoke creating enough good chances to inflict a heavy defeat on the visitors. Straight from the kick-off Stoke went at Wednesday and 20 seconds in Iwelumo sent a snap 18 yard volley inches wide of the post with Stringer stranded. A minute or so later a good Stoke break led to Greenacre feeding Gudjonsson on the right, and the Icelander put a wonderful cross to the back post with the outside of his right boot. It hung perfectly in the air, and Iwelumo came in unmarked but somehow headed wide from 6 yards when anything on target was surely a goal. On 50 minutes Greenacre chased a punt into the box, got the better of the last defender Monk as the ball bounced up awkwardly, and holding him off got goal-side, managing to stab a close-range angled shot away before the ball ran out. It was heading in at the near post until the keeper rushed out to make a fine block for a corner. The corner was headed off the line and cleared for a throw-in.

On 51 minutes Thomas pushed forward and tried to shoot from 25 yards, but his effort was hopelessly wide. Then on 55 minutes a ball in from the right was headed down by Iwelumo to Greenacre, who this time was muscled out of a shot by the near post. On 60 minutes Wednesday produced a rare attack, when a hopeful ball into the box was flicked on by an unmarked player, but luckily the intended recipient slipped over as he ran on to the chance. A minute later Gudjonsson made a run and his progress was checked earning Soltvedt a booking, and it gave Stoke a free-kick near halfway. This was flicked on by Shtaniuk, and Iwelumo earned a corner when trying to turn the loose ball across goal. The dangerous cross caused a mad scramble, and Wednesday finally cleared and were able to break. But Stoke weren't to be denied their deserved goal and it came on 66 minutes to make it 2-1. Gunnarsson in midfield put a fine ball across to pick out Hoekstra hovering on the left edge of the box. Hoekstra diddled his marker and put a fabulous ball to the back post where Greenacre powered in a header from 6 yards that seemed destined to score. Amazingly Stringer pulled off a wonder save, tipping it on to the base of his right-hand post. As it bounced up Gunnarsson arrived to stab home from 2 yards, but incredibly Stringer produced another brilliant stop to keep that out, yet it flew up invitingly to Iwelumo who added the coup de grace, heading in from 4 yards with the unlucky keeper on the floor. It was hard on Stringer after a marvellous double save, but no more than Stoke deserved. A minute later Wednesday had a corner but Banks claimed it easily.

Four minutes after the second goal Iwelumo chased a long hoof into the box, and was knocked off the ball by the last defender, but of course the referee was not interested in any penalty shout. On 71 minutes Iwelumo was there again to flick on a ball into the path of Greenacre, and his 18 yard rifled drive flew just wide of the post. Having been so dominant and not cashing in on the numerous chances, Stoke then naturally conceded a goal to Wednesday's only real effort of the second half! On 72 minutes Stoke conceded an innocuous looking free-kick in central midfield just inside the visitor's half. The chipped effort forward was flicked on by Johnston about 25 yards out, and this fell to Proudlock on the edge of the box. He controlled it with his back to goal, and turned Handyside to unleash a glorious volley that flew into the top far corner of the net with Banks clutching at thin air. It was an excellent strike, but Sheffield realy didn't deserve to be level at 2-2. There was no suggestion of a Sheffield resurgence this time, as Stoke to their credit picked themselves up from the disappointment and went all out for the win.

On 76 minutes Greenacre's run was ended by a crude challenge, and Stoke had a free-kick. It was cleared initially, but came straight back into the box, and after a bit of pressure Greenacre managed a weak 18 yard shot which the keeper gladly clutched hold of. Two minutes later there was more panic in the Wednesday defence as a move on the right led to Iwelumo running into the box, and cutting the ball back to supporting players. It missed everyone, but arrived at Hall. He hit it goalwards, it fell to Iwelumo again, his shot was blocked, and finaly the rebound was hit over by Gudjonsson. On 83 minutes a weak angled shot from 8 yards was the result of a good through ball by Gunnarsson. In the same minute a Stoke free-kick, given on the left side edge of the area after Greenacre was tugged, was blasted just round the angle of bar and post. On 87 minutes Stringer produced another heroic effort to deny Hoekstra when his powerful shot from 8 yards looked certain to provide the winner, but Stoke had to settle for a corner. Another corner 2 minutes later had the Stoke fans holding their heads in their hands. Another good move had ended with Hoekstra having the ball taken off his foot just as he was about to shoot. From the corner Gunnarsson contrived to miss a free-header from 6 yards, and a glorious chance to win it looked wasted.

However before the Stokies had chance to start chastising Gunnarsson for his miss, he made amends with a goal in the last minute which proved to be the winner. Hall chipped the ball forward from the halfway line, Iwelumo back-flicked the ball on from 25 yards out, and as it ran into the area Greenacre left it allowing Gunnarsson to arrive into space and smote the ball home hard and low from 15 yards. The Boothen End erupted as Gunnarsson ran towards them wagging his finger in celebration. There was to be no come back for Sheffield this time, and the only action late on was Gudjonsson being replaced by Marteinsson in four minutes of injury time to help defend the lead. Wednesday may have been gutted to lose to a last minute strike, but in all fairness Stoke deserved to have wrapped up the game ages before, and win by a much larger margin.

Team Marks:

GK Banks (7) Didn't have much to do. Made a very good save to tip over in the first half. Gave Shtaniuk a good rollicking for getting in his way!

RB Thomas (6) Nearly gave away a penalty, and was beaten on the cross for Sheffied's first. Got forward well on a couple of decent runs, and provided the header for Iwelumo's first goal. Wasted a really good attacking throw-in in the second half, which not only took an age to deliver, fell straight at the feet of a Wednesday player! Also a suicidal back-pass.

LB Hall (8) I though he had a very good game, getting forwad to link well with Hoekstra, and did well at the back. Also provided the chip ball forward for the winning goal.

CB Shtaniuk (7) Better from Shatniuk, but got in the way of Banks once that might have been dangerous.

CB Handyside (6) Might have done better to cut out the cross for Wednesday's first, and was turned by Proudlock for their second. Many wayward passes too.

RM Gudjonsson (7) Good creative play, including a brilliant ball to Iwelumo to miss from 6 yards in the second half! Lots of decent runs, and tackles too. His corner led to the first Stoke goal.

CM Gunnarsson (8) A few stray passes but mainly very good in the creative stakes. Missed a sitter but had the coolness to smack home the winner. Some fine surging runs, and might have scored the second goal instead of Iwelumo, but for a wonder save from Stringer.

CM O'Connor (6) Lots of good effort as usual, but let down by his passing today.

LM Hoekstra (7) Provided the cross for the second goal and had a couple of decent chances to score himself.

CF Greenacre (7) Ran around willingly and made intelligent use of the ball. I think he was dreadfully unlucky in this game. He created a chance from nothing that forced the keeper into a fine block. He did everything right with his header at the back post which ultimately led to our second goal. Again it was met by a wonder save by Stringer, and still almost went in off the post. He was also close with a stinging 18 yard drive, and his general build up play is very intelligent. Picked up on Iwelumo's flicks better than he did at Bradford. Needs a goal for confidence.

CF Iwelumo (8) Hard-working and committed, winning plenty of headers. His flick on led to Gunnarsson's goal. He also scored two and was in the right place to miss two other golden chances! Looking more like a striker with each game.[STARMAN]

SUBS

Marteinsson ( ) Came on to replace Bjarni to eat up some stoppage time, and provide more defensive presence for last two minutes. Not on the pitch long enough to contribute anything.

Conclusion

An decent display from Stoke that produced a deserved and much needed win. Apart from a 15 minute spell in the first half where Sheffield looked likely to score another, Stoke dominated proceedings and could have won with a larger tally. Defensively we still looked shakey at times, but the midfield is still creating plenty of chances, and finally some are going in! A good end to the year, and finally just reward for a hard working and passionate display.

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