The Britannia Stadium lit up in Red and White as the Potters claimed a narrow home win with second half goals coming from Charlie Adam and Peter Crouch as action continued in the Barclays Premier League yesterday.
The Britannia Stadium lit up in Red and White as the Potters claimed a narrow home win with second half goals coming from Charlie Adam and Peter Crouch as action continued in the Barclays Premier League yesterday.
After an even first half the Potters began to dominate in the second half of the game with the introduction of Charlie Adam into the fray at the break. Adam clearly didn’t need much time, because five minutes after being introduced into the game he had navigated the ball well into the back of the Aston Villa net.
Adam benefited from a Peter Crouch knock-down when the lanky striker headed a free kick into his path. Adam neatly turned his marker inside the box before blasting past Brad Guzan in goal to give his team the 1-0 lead.
Sixteen minutes later, Villa were level when Libor Kozak benefitted from a horrible back pass from Erik Peters. The defender stooped to head the ball back to his keeper and Kozak gleefully fan onto the weak pass before slamming home, much to the delight of the travelling fans.
With not much time left in the game and the scores level on the scoreboard, many began to predict that the match, just like the many others between them, was headed for a draw. Peter Crouch, who provided the assist for the game’s opening goal put paid to that notion when he benefitted from poor defending from a cross to slot home and restore the home team’s advantage.
The ball appeared to strike the players hand as he went to control it, but Villa’s weak protests were waved away as the home fans celebrated with gusto.
The win pushed Stoke City ahead of their rivals and into 10th position in the Barclays Premier League.
Stoke will next face the red hot Newcastle in the Boxing Day fixture in what is sure to be another cracker.
Photo: Peter Crouch (reuters)
Writer: Andrew Laidley
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