Rapport från Dave (vår man på plats)
Vår man på plats, Dave, är tillbaka efter ledighet. Kommentarer och bilder kommer här från honom.
Boys,
This was a vital win for Stoke today. They followed on from Monday nights performance against Palace by starting the game looking low in confidence.
Stokes biggest away following of the season ( ? 3,200 ) were in good spirits but it was Coventry who started brightly with an early effort that hit the bar.
To be fair, todays referee Uriah Rennie has given Stoke some good fortune over recent times but he was quick to point to the spot when a Coventry player fell to the ground during a goal mouth scramble.
Hamstring Injuries to Shola & Griffin meant that Pulis had to resuffle the team with Mama & Shawcross coming on before half time. (Griffins injury looked particularly worse than Sholas). Riggott went to right back.
Half time couldn't come soon enough for Stoke and many supporters consoled themselves with a beer and reflected on another piss poor Stoke performance.
In fact I was still finishing my beer when the second half kicked off. On the way back to my seat I saw a group of lads still drinking with "Swedish Stokies" scarfs on. I also saw a Swedish flag during the first half......Good lads.
Stoke were much better in the second half (they couldn't get any worse). Fuller looked more effective alongside Sidibe and it was a mazy Fuller run which resulted in a penalty.
I'm led to believe that if Fuller is awarded a penalty then he has the option to take it which he did to make it 1-1.
By now Stoke were looking a much improved outfit. With Shawcross marshalling the defence well Stoke went for the win. Pulis gambled by bringing on Lawrence for Pearson (Pearson didn't look pleased) as Stoke went all out for 3 points.
Lawrence showed what he could do by putting in some decent crosses that came to nothing. Not long later a chance fell to him just inside the penalty area which he took well to set off a glorious mental in the Stoke supporters end...2-1
KEEP THE FAITH
.....Dave
