Stoke 1 Coventry 0 - 06/11/2006
Stoke City: Steve Simonsen, Michael Duberry, Danny Higginbotham, Carl Hoefkens, Andy Griffin, Luke Chadwick (David Brammer 85), Darel Russell, Salif Diao, Lee Hendrie, Ricardo Fuller, Mamady Sidibe (Vincent Pericard 90)
Subs not used: Sambegou Bangoura, Peter Sweeney, Andy Wilkinson
Sent off: Ricardo Fuller 63
Goals: Griffin 60
Coventry City: Andy Marshall, Marcus Hall (Don Hutchison 81), Clive Clarke, Richard Duffy, Elliott Ward, Robert Page, Christopher Birchall (Jay Tabb 61), Michael Doyle (Dele Adebola 70), Stephen Hughes, Stern John, Leon McKenzie
Subs not used: Colin Cameron, Wayne Andrews
Booked: Marcus Hall 79, Elliott Ward 85, Robert Page 77, Stern John 42, Leon McKenzie 52
Attendance: 19055
Referee: C Boyeson
Teamtalk
Andy Griffin hit a stunning goal as Stoke claimed a 1-0 win over Coventry despite having Ricardo Fuller sent off at a foggy Britannia Stadium.
All of the decisive action took place around the hour, with Griffin cutting in from the left to drive in a magnificent strike from 25 yards which flew into the top corner.
But moments after Carl Hoefkens had struck the woodwork for the hosts Fuller, who had missed a host of chances, elbowed Michael Doyle and was sent off.
But the hosts comfortably held on for a deserved victory, making it four defeats in six matches for Micky Adams' visitors.
Even by Championship standards, it was an explosive start with plenty of fierce tackling but little else.
A low Mamady Sidibe effort was deflected wide by Stoke old boy Clive Clarke after four minutes but that aside there was little early goalmouth action.
The hosts gradually got themselves on top and after he had skipped past Elliott Ward wide on the Stoke left, Fuller's strike was knocked wide by Robert Page.
As the gloom continued to envelop the pitch, a mistake by Griffin at the other end sent Stern John through on goal and past Steve Simonsen but the Sky Blues striker blasted wide of goal.
Fuller exchanged passes with Luke Chadwick but his scooped effort was blocked by a defender and straight into the arms of goalkeeper Andy Marshall.
Then a move involving Lee Hendrie and Sidibe saw the ball passed Fuller's way but his shot on goal was way off target from 20 yards.
Fuller was guilty of another poor miss as Hoefkens charged into the area and crossed to pick out the striker unmarked at the far post, only for the Jamaican to again slice well over.
Marcus Hall thwarted Fuller in the 37th minute and Sidibe also lashed wide as the half ended goalless.
The home team continued to dominate after the interval with Marshall punching a high Salif Diao shot only as far as Chadwick, who saw his header cleared off the line by Elliott Ward.
The visitors finally produced an effort on goal, with Doyle driving wide.
But as the Potters piled on the pressure, Griffin curled home from 30 yards to score a second goal of his loan spell from Portsmouth.
The game exploded shortly after with Hoefkens seeing a shot come back off the bar and Fuller sent off.
The Jamaican had given away a free-kick for a foul on Jay Tabb and as he was tracking back he caught Sky Blues midfielder Doyle on the chin, earning him a straight red card and causing a melee.
Stoke appeals for a handball against Ward on halfway as Sidibe tried to break away were waved away by referee Carl Boyeson with 17 minutes remaining.
Even though they were a man down, Stoke's lead never looked in trouble until a late flurry from the visitors.
Leon McKenzie dragged wide in added time at the end but substitute Vincent Pericard was only prevented from scoring a second for the hosts by a fine save from Marshall.
McKenzie then got the ball in the net, flicking on Page's header, but the striker was ruled offside.
CCFC
It's a night of disappointment for the Sky Blues at the Britannia Stadium as City are undone by a wonder-strike from Andy Griffin on the hour mark.
The Stoke defender looked to be no danger as he picked up the ball 30 yards from goal but his unstoppable shot found the top corner and left Andy Marshall with no chance, before the hosts were reduced to 10 men as Ricardo Fuller was shown red for an elbow.
Micky Adams made two changes from the side that slipped to a narrow 1-0 defeat against Birmingham at the Ricoh last Tuesday for this evening's clash.
In came midfielder and former Port Vale man Chris Birchall and the on-loan Clive Clarke with Colin Cameron and Kevin Kyle missing from the first 11.
Those changes saw the Sky Blues adopt an attacking three-four-three formation with Birchall - who will no doubt be in for a hot reception - deployed just behind the front two of Leon McKenzie and Stern John.
It was the Sky Blues who made the best of the opening exchanges with Birchall and McKenzie forcing corners in the first 60 seconds to send out a signal of intent to the home side.
Andy Marshall was called into his first piece of action with three minutes on the clock as he was able to pluck a Lee Hendrie corner out of the air unopposed.
As the fog continued to thicken over the Britannia City were showing no signs of fear, keeping the potentially dangerous midfield of Hendrie and Darel Russell quiet.
On 17 Robert Page was forced into a last-ditch tackle with Ricardo Fuller looking destined to give the Potters the lead.
The former Preston and Southampton forward surged down the right and into the box before shaping to shoot only for Pagey to make a perfect challenge.
Just two minutes later Stern John fired wide with the goal at his mercy as the game was staring to open up into a lively clash.
With the half-hour fast approaching Fuller was again causing problems, finding space in the box to meet a Carl Hoefkens centre before slipping and then slicing the ball high over the bar
With 35 gone former Stoke man Hall did well to acrobatically block another Fuller effort, the powerful striker doing well to find space before unleashing a well hit shot.
Mamady Sidibe was next to threaten for Tony Pulis' side, cutting in from the right he had options in the box but instead opted to go for glory smashing the ball high and wide.
With seven minutes of the second half gone Elliott Ward did well to help his 'keeper out, heading clear from almost underneath his own bar from a looping Luke Chadwick header.
Michael Doyle - who scored his first goal for 18 months against Colchester recently - tried his luck from all of 25 yards with 55 gone but his low shot was watched wide by Stoke 'keeper Steve Simonsen.
Just as Micky Adams was preparing to throw on Jay Tabb Andy Griffin found the top corner with a rising, rasping goal-of-the-season contender from what must have been 30 yards out leaving Marshall absolutely no chance.
With the home fans celebrating the gaffer did make the change with Birchall coming off for former Brentford man Tabb on the hour mark.
It was almost made even worse for the Sky Blues as Hoefkens rattled the bar before Stoke striker Fuller was red carded for what referee Boyeson seemed to suggest was a stray elbow on Hughes.
Having been on the pitch for just seven minutes Tabb was certainly making an impact and was unlucky not
to find an equalizer for the Sky Blues, his half-volley flying straight at Simonsen from a tight angle.
With the home side reduced to 10 men and with City searching for an equalizer Micky made his second switch of the night with Dele Adebola taking the place of Doyle with 20 minutes remaining.
The experienced Don Huthison entered the action in place of Hall for City's last switch of the night to give Micky Adams' men added impetus in the centre of the park.
Marshall made a fantastic save from Pericard in the dying moments as he broke free before McKenzie had appeared to hand City a share of the spoils.
The former Norwich man met a Page header and nodded into the back-of-the-net only to be denied by the linesman's flag to leave City empty-handed.
4thegame
A second-half thunderbolt from on-loan Andy Griffin ended Coventry City's unbeaten run in front of the nation and gave the Potters their third win in a row on home turf.
A strike fit for the cameras which saw it, finished off the Sky Blues' unbeaten record of two wins and two draws in four live television appearances.
A thick blanket of fog descended onto the Britannia Stadium playing surface after only 15 minutes and triggered the home side into action.
Neither side had taken aim until Ricardo Fuller mugged Elliott Ward on the right flank prompting Robert Page in to action to divert the industrious striker's goal-bound drive.
The travelling contingent's nerves were spared after the early scare because, as the conditions deteriorated, so did City's shooting.
Fuller seemed to be suffering the most from the lack of a visible target to aim at, at least that should be his defence, after spurning a hatful of golden opportunities.
The Jamaica international somehow navigated a route through in the 24th minute but then ballooned the resulting shot before making a hash of an absolute sitter.
Carl Hoefkens' low centre somehow made its way through a packed box leaving Andy Marshall and his gaping goal at Fuller's mercy - but the City man first slipped and then lifted his shot into the stand.
As the conditions improved after the break so did the standard of football and, on the hour-mark, came a contender for goal-of-the-season from the most unlikely boot.
Potters full-back Griffin latched onto Lee Hendrie's throw-in before arrowing the cleanest of strikes beyond Marshall's despairing palm into the top right-hand corner of the net.
But, just as Stoke began to turn the screw, their lead was plunged into jeopardy thanks to Fuller's left arm. The striker had just collected Hoefkens' shot, which had ricocheted back off the bar, when he swung a petulant elbow at Page's temple prompting referee Carl Boyeson's third red-card this term.
Stoke saw off a 17-minute onslaught from the previously quiet visitors and could have doubled their tally when Vincent Pericard was put clean through.
But the substitute, having galloped from the halfway line, mustered a tame effort which was palmed round the post by the Coventry shot-stopper.
Stoke boss Tony Pulis said: "When Andy (Griffin) picked up the ball I was telling him to pass it but then he cut inside and the rest is history.
"People know what I think of Andy Griffin. He's a fantastic kid on and off the pitch and he's also very good with the young players.
"We're all delighted with the result. We played good football at times and then showed great resilience and spirit after we were reduced to ten men.
"I've not seen the sending off and I've not spoke to Ricardo about it. He's very upset and we'll sort it out when it all calms down." Coventry manager Micky Adams said: "We've been beaten by a wonder goal but our performance was just not good enough.
"We are OK physically but we're struggling when we have the ball. Our distribution was very poor and maybe we are no quite right mentally. There's a lot of work to do.
"If Stern John had put his early chance away it could have been different and I thought we should have had a penalty for handball in the second half.
"The referee also fell for every trick in the book in terms of time-wasting and other things but I have to accept that the bottom line is we didn't play well."
Subs not used: Sambegou Bangoura, Peter Sweeney, Andy Wilkinson
Sent off: Ricardo Fuller 63
Goals: Griffin 60
Coventry City: Andy Marshall, Marcus Hall (Don Hutchison 81), Clive Clarke, Richard Duffy, Elliott Ward, Robert Page, Christopher Birchall (Jay Tabb 61), Michael Doyle (Dele Adebola 70), Stephen Hughes, Stern John, Leon McKenzie
Subs not used: Colin Cameron, Wayne Andrews
Booked: Marcus Hall 79, Elliott Ward 85, Robert Page 77, Stern John 42, Leon McKenzie 52
Attendance: 19055
Referee: C Boyeson
Teamtalk
Andy Griffin hit a stunning goal as Stoke claimed a 1-0 win over Coventry despite having Ricardo Fuller sent off at a foggy Britannia Stadium.
All of the decisive action took place around the hour, with Griffin cutting in from the left to drive in a magnificent strike from 25 yards which flew into the top corner.
But moments after Carl Hoefkens had struck the woodwork for the hosts Fuller, who had missed a host of chances, elbowed Michael Doyle and was sent off.
But the hosts comfortably held on for a deserved victory, making it four defeats in six matches for Micky Adams' visitors.
Even by Championship standards, it was an explosive start with plenty of fierce tackling but little else.
A low Mamady Sidibe effort was deflected wide by Stoke old boy Clive Clarke after four minutes but that aside there was little early goalmouth action.
The hosts gradually got themselves on top and after he had skipped past Elliott Ward wide on the Stoke left, Fuller's strike was knocked wide by Robert Page.
As the gloom continued to envelop the pitch, a mistake by Griffin at the other end sent Stern John through on goal and past Steve Simonsen but the Sky Blues striker blasted wide of goal.
Fuller exchanged passes with Luke Chadwick but his scooped effort was blocked by a defender and straight into the arms of goalkeeper Andy Marshall.
Then a move involving Lee Hendrie and Sidibe saw the ball passed Fuller's way but his shot on goal was way off target from 20 yards.
Fuller was guilty of another poor miss as Hoefkens charged into the area and crossed to pick out the striker unmarked at the far post, only for the Jamaican to again slice well over.
Marcus Hall thwarted Fuller in the 37th minute and Sidibe also lashed wide as the half ended goalless.
The home team continued to dominate after the interval with Marshall punching a high Salif Diao shot only as far as Chadwick, who saw his header cleared off the line by Elliott Ward.
The visitors finally produced an effort on goal, with Doyle driving wide.
But as the Potters piled on the pressure, Griffin curled home from 30 yards to score a second goal of his loan spell from Portsmouth.
The game exploded shortly after with Hoefkens seeing a shot come back off the bar and Fuller sent off.
The Jamaican had given away a free-kick for a foul on Jay Tabb and as he was tracking back he caught Sky Blues midfielder Doyle on the chin, earning him a straight red card and causing a melee.
Stoke appeals for a handball against Ward on halfway as Sidibe tried to break away were waved away by referee Carl Boyeson with 17 minutes remaining.
Even though they were a man down, Stoke's lead never looked in trouble until a late flurry from the visitors.
Leon McKenzie dragged wide in added time at the end but substitute Vincent Pericard was only prevented from scoring a second for the hosts by a fine save from Marshall.
McKenzie then got the ball in the net, flicking on Page's header, but the striker was ruled offside.
CCFC
It's a night of disappointment for the Sky Blues at the Britannia Stadium as City are undone by a wonder-strike from Andy Griffin on the hour mark.
The Stoke defender looked to be no danger as he picked up the ball 30 yards from goal but his unstoppable shot found the top corner and left Andy Marshall with no chance, before the hosts were reduced to 10 men as Ricardo Fuller was shown red for an elbow.
Micky Adams made two changes from the side that slipped to a narrow 1-0 defeat against Birmingham at the Ricoh last Tuesday for this evening's clash.
In came midfielder and former Port Vale man Chris Birchall and the on-loan Clive Clarke with Colin Cameron and Kevin Kyle missing from the first 11.
Those changes saw the Sky Blues adopt an attacking three-four-three formation with Birchall - who will no doubt be in for a hot reception - deployed just behind the front two of Leon McKenzie and Stern John.
It was the Sky Blues who made the best of the opening exchanges with Birchall and McKenzie forcing corners in the first 60 seconds to send out a signal of intent to the home side.
Andy Marshall was called into his first piece of action with three minutes on the clock as he was able to pluck a Lee Hendrie corner out of the air unopposed.
As the fog continued to thicken over the Britannia City were showing no signs of fear, keeping the potentially dangerous midfield of Hendrie and Darel Russell quiet.
On 17 Robert Page was forced into a last-ditch tackle with Ricardo Fuller looking destined to give the Potters the lead.
The former Preston and Southampton forward surged down the right and into the box before shaping to shoot only for Pagey to make a perfect challenge.
Just two minutes later Stern John fired wide with the goal at his mercy as the game was staring to open up into a lively clash.
With the half-hour fast approaching Fuller was again causing problems, finding space in the box to meet a Carl Hoefkens centre before slipping and then slicing the ball high over the bar
With 35 gone former Stoke man Hall did well to acrobatically block another Fuller effort, the powerful striker doing well to find space before unleashing a well hit shot.
Mamady Sidibe was next to threaten for Tony Pulis' side, cutting in from the right he had options in the box but instead opted to go for glory smashing the ball high and wide.
With seven minutes of the second half gone Elliott Ward did well to help his 'keeper out, heading clear from almost underneath his own bar from a looping Luke Chadwick header.
Michael Doyle - who scored his first goal for 18 months against Colchester recently - tried his luck from all of 25 yards with 55 gone but his low shot was watched wide by Stoke 'keeper Steve Simonsen.
Just as Micky Adams was preparing to throw on Jay Tabb Andy Griffin found the top corner with a rising, rasping goal-of-the-season contender from what must have been 30 yards out leaving Marshall absolutely no chance.
With the home fans celebrating the gaffer did make the change with Birchall coming off for former Brentford man Tabb on the hour mark.
It was almost made even worse for the Sky Blues as Hoefkens rattled the bar before Stoke striker Fuller was red carded for what referee Boyeson seemed to suggest was a stray elbow on Hughes.
Having been on the pitch for just seven minutes Tabb was certainly making an impact and was unlucky not
to find an equalizer for the Sky Blues, his half-volley flying straight at Simonsen from a tight angle.
With the home side reduced to 10 men and with City searching for an equalizer Micky made his second switch of the night with Dele Adebola taking the place of Doyle with 20 minutes remaining.
The experienced Don Huthison entered the action in place of Hall for City's last switch of the night to give Micky Adams' men added impetus in the centre of the park.
Marshall made a fantastic save from Pericard in the dying moments as he broke free before McKenzie had appeared to hand City a share of the spoils.
The former Norwich man met a Page header and nodded into the back-of-the-net only to be denied by the linesman's flag to leave City empty-handed.
4thegame
A second-half thunderbolt from on-loan Andy Griffin ended Coventry City's unbeaten run in front of the nation and gave the Potters their third win in a row on home turf.
A strike fit for the cameras which saw it, finished off the Sky Blues' unbeaten record of two wins and two draws in four live television appearances.
A thick blanket of fog descended onto the Britannia Stadium playing surface after only 15 minutes and triggered the home side into action.
Neither side had taken aim until Ricardo Fuller mugged Elliott Ward on the right flank prompting Robert Page in to action to divert the industrious striker's goal-bound drive.
The travelling contingent's nerves were spared after the early scare because, as the conditions deteriorated, so did City's shooting.
Fuller seemed to be suffering the most from the lack of a visible target to aim at, at least that should be his defence, after spurning a hatful of golden opportunities.
The Jamaica international somehow navigated a route through in the 24th minute but then ballooned the resulting shot before making a hash of an absolute sitter.
Carl Hoefkens' low centre somehow made its way through a packed box leaving Andy Marshall and his gaping goal at Fuller's mercy - but the City man first slipped and then lifted his shot into the stand.
As the conditions improved after the break so did the standard of football and, on the hour-mark, came a contender for goal-of-the-season from the most unlikely boot.
Potters full-back Griffin latched onto Lee Hendrie's throw-in before arrowing the cleanest of strikes beyond Marshall's despairing palm into the top right-hand corner of the net.
But, just as Stoke began to turn the screw, their lead was plunged into jeopardy thanks to Fuller's left arm. The striker had just collected Hoefkens' shot, which had ricocheted back off the bar, when he swung a petulant elbow at Page's temple prompting referee Carl Boyeson's third red-card this term.
Stoke saw off a 17-minute onslaught from the previously quiet visitors and could have doubled their tally when Vincent Pericard was put clean through.
But the substitute, having galloped from the halfway line, mustered a tame effort which was palmed round the post by the Coventry shot-stopper.
Stoke boss Tony Pulis said: "When Andy (Griffin) picked up the ball I was telling him to pass it but then he cut inside and the rest is history.
"People know what I think of Andy Griffin. He's a fantastic kid on and off the pitch and he's also very good with the young players.
"We're all delighted with the result. We played good football at times and then showed great resilience and spirit after we were reduced to ten men.
"I've not seen the sending off and I've not spoke to Ricardo about it. He's very upset and we'll sort it out when it all calms down." Coventry manager Micky Adams said: "We've been beaten by a wonder goal but our performance was just not good enough.
"We are OK physically but we're struggling when we have the ball. Our distribution was very poor and maybe we are no quite right mentally. There's a lot of work to do.
"If Stern John had put his early chance away it could have been different and I thought we should have had a penalty for handball in the second half.
"The referee also fell for every trick in the book in terms of time-wasting and other things but I have to accept that the bottom line is we didn't play well."
posted by SkyBlueSnowy at 8:37 am
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home