Stoke City: Potters secure victory for sheer willpower
Premier League
Stoke City 1, Manchester City 0
by Martin Spinks
A TIMELY and reassuring reminder that Stoke's fate may not lie entirely in Delap of the Gods after all.
Rarely this season have the odds been so heavily stacked against them as they were for nearly an hour of their sixth home win of the season – and their first win of any kind anywhere in their last 12 attempts.
The first of eight win-able home games – and arguably the least win-able looking of the eight – was safely pouched away in a manner so familiar to the faithful of both Citys.
Visit our Stoke City website Why Delilah to read the story in full
2 Comments
by Andy, Normacot
Monday, February 02 2009, 11:29AM
“Gerrard did exactly the same as Rory yesterday and didnt even get a telling off never mind sent off!!!!!
These refs are a disgrace!!!!!!!!”
by Kevin, Stoke
Monday, February 02 2009, 9:43AM
“Having to endure an embarrassing rendition of Delilah on the big screen in front of the City fans, it was obvious Stoke were not going to go full voice on cue for anyone. Delap the errant schoolboy ignited the crowd and as such, the match. Fuller seemed to have a point to prove as he raced to give it all he had got to beat a City defender to the ball, maybe it was dawning on him that the Etherington-Beattie partnership although in its infancy could be the ruin of him. Just when I began to wonder what Beattie actually does in his game, he popped up to whizz one in at the right hand post and it was then the penny dropped-he scores goals doesn¿t he? Stoke deserved this on merit against the million dollar misfits as all they could muster (after spraying it out to Bridge on the corner flag a bit) were a handful of shots that were well wide. It was tense all right as Stoke were desperate for the points. I thought Beattie was man of the match until the 58th minute but taking the match in its entirety, Etherington stood out above the rest with some classy crosses. Stoke to survive; the omens look better.”