Rapport från Dave, vår man på plats
Dave var på Goodison Park när Everton besegrade favoriterna med 3-1. Här kommer en rapport och bilder från honom.
Aye up duck,
I travelled up with Mark (Wils), Pete and his two daughters Charlotte & Victoria. I had a feeling that it wasn't going to be our day when Pete announced that he had forgotten his tickets.
After a detour back to his house to pick them up we finally got going at around 11:30 a.m. After a customary sausage sarnie and can of Tetley bitter (cheers Hakan & Tommy) in the car we got to Liverpool just after 1 p.m. Oh yeh, I forgot to mention that we passed Stokes chief executive Tony Scholes in a car on the way up.
Parking around Goodison is strictly for residents only but we managed to get a spot about 10 minutes walk away. We thought about having a drink in "The Arkles" but decided in the end to try one right behind the home end. I forgot what it was called. No problems in there. A few Stokies dotted about inside. Fans watching Man U v Liverpool on T.V. Everton fans that we chatted too seemed interested in our season and hoped that we could stay up. They thought that Beattie would get a good reception on his return. After a couple of pints of Guinness we made our way to the away end. Stoke had sold out their allocation a week or two prior to the game.
"Personally, I like grounds that have tradition & character but Everton are taking the piss". For some time now Everton have stuck the away fans in a old stand with a restricted view in places. I was the only one in our group to sit in the upper tier and I had a good all round view. Many of those in the lower tier weren't so fortunate.
Onto the match. Pulis kept with the team that defeated Bolton in the last game.
After seeming to survive a spell of early Everton pressure, Jo found himself free to put them ahead from a tight angle. The ball squirmed agonisingly under Sorros body. He really should of made the save. Sorros afternoon then went from bad to worse when he inexplicably parried an effort on goal straight into the path of Lescott (who was OFFSIDE by the way) to score. A real gift of a goal.
It looked like it was going to be an all too familiar afternoon for Stoke but we managed to get to half time with no further damage. I was pleased to see that Evertons danger man Cahill didn't come out for the second half.
.jpg)
Just as Pulis was about to bring on Fuller, Stoke scored when Shawcross headed a goal for the second successive away match. Evertons goalkeeper Howard looked at fault for allowing the header to loop into the net. Lescott was furious with him. Game On.
With Fuller now on the pitch Stokes players and supporters raised their game and Everton looked visibly shaken. Stoke were trying to play in Fuller for him to use his pace as they attempted to repeat their efforts of a fortnight ago against Villa.
The best chance fell when Higgys header just wide of the goal was nearly met at the far post by Shawcross. A Whelan effort also went close.
Towards the end Everton regained their composure and Sorro made some amends when he parried a Fellani shot but this time also managed to save the rebound. Everton wrapped it up when Fellani scored with a deflected shot in injury time to make it 3-1.
Stoke team
Sorro - Was at fault for both of Evertons two first half goals.
Wilko - Had a tough afternoon marking Pienaar but made a better job of it in the second half.
Higgy - Ok. Might of equalised if he had made better contact with the header.
Shawcross - Did alright.
Ab Faye - Not so assured today. (He is human after all).
Diao - Piss poor
Whelan - Ok.
Delap - Poor game
Lawrence - His lack of pace is really shows in the Premiership.
Sidibe- Had a tough afternoon
B.T. - Worked hard but had little chance to shine.
Fuller - Lifted the team & supporters when he came on.
Etherington - Came on with 10 minutes to go as Stoke went all out for an equaliser.
Camara - Came on to make his second Stoke appearance.
........Dave
