Match Report: City comeback nails fifth Stoke win

[Olé]

Since Stoke got projectile vomited out of the Premier League the parachute payment side has managed to now lose FIVE consecutive games at home to Bristol City. Today Nigel Pearson's side were surprisingly the better team and the only upset was that it took a one sided second half to claim all 3 points.

City bossed the game for long periods and if anything made Stoke look better than they were in a soft and passive first half where the visitors seemed content sitting in and closing angles without ever pressing their in form opponents. But Pearson galvanized his side at the break to turn the game around.

The two sides came into the game locked in similar midtable positions and for a quarter of the fixture little happened as City closed everything thrown at them only for their fast release balls to sail miles off their target. On 21 minutes Sam Bell was pulled down on the break on the left but the ref waved it away.

Man of the Match Zak Vyner capitalised on a loose ball to put Bell in again, only to flash a ball across the face of goal. Minutes later and City had to go in front. Wells was sent clear of the defence with just keeper Jack Bonham to beat but his poor first touch was followed by curling a wild shot well wide.

City were on top and after 26 Bell dropped a shoulder to spin away on a brilliant run from the left but his swift centre was held by the keeper. A minute later Jay DaSilva beat four players with his close control but launched a through ball well over everyone. The visitors were on top but producing little end product.

With Andy King already on following Omar Taylor-Clarke's injury, on 33 Andi Weimann met City's setup from the left and steered a header at the keeper. The away side went to sleep and made it easy for Tyrese Campbell to cross from the left after a swift long ball and had Nick Powell unmarked to convert.

City had been passive and stood off their hosts hoping to keep it tight but were now behind and needing another gear. For the half at least it did not arrive as Pearson's side got frustrated and keeper Max O'Leary pushed away Campbell's back post header with Stoke fans finally roaring for a second.

Harry Cornick joined at half time for Tommy Conway as City looked for more up front. In minutes Sam Bell was tripped during a slick play through Weimann - Nahki Wells curling his free kick just past thennear post. On 51 Wells got in on the right and then Bell the left but no one converted from the pressure.

Away fans were roaring as Weimann right in front of the visitors turned in after a George Tanner cross only for it to be ruled out for offside - a deserved equaliser taken off the board early in the second half. At the other end O'Leary had to tip away at his near post as Campbell got in for Stoke's best chance.

On the hour the officials ignored yet another handball but gave a foul against Weimann. It was typical of the hopeless officials and after Weimann's deep cross forced Ben Wilmot to put behind Pring gave it away and O'Leary took out their striker nothing given.

Midway through the second period Cornick headed a deep ball down for Wells to turn  and force Bonham's save. Then City carved up their hosts with slick one touches but in space and with a finish required Wells sent his cross over everyone. Pearson's side had given little evidence they could turn it around. 

City's travelling fans have not had much to cheer this season but they were the better side against in form Stoke and went from a goal down to deserved parity with less than 20 remaining. Bell stole a yard and his cross from the left found Vyner unmarked to glance a backwards header into the top corner.

City threw on Anis Mehmeti for Bell as they sensed they had the upper hand. They did. Right in front of the away fans City probed and on the break Wells did well to wriggle away on the right and centre and Mehmeti was on hand to slam in. The trickster has threatened a goal but not from six yards.

Stoke was the divisions form team but not only did Nigel Pearson take them down a peg or two, he convinced a depleted side to stay the distance in a poor first half before exerting our quality in the second. City had controlled much of the game and won it at the end in front of the massed ranks of fans.

 

O'Leary 7

Tanner 7

DaSilva 7

Vyner 8

Pring 6

Taylor-Clarke 5

James 7

Weimann 6

Bell 7

Conway 5

Wells 6

 

King 6

Cornick 6

Mehmeti 7

Edited April 7, 2023 by Olé

[sh1t_ref_again]

Good read up as always, Would say King was more than a 6, as game changed after he came on

[189thoughts]

Agree with a lot of what you have said here. I felt Dasilva was fantastic throughout so would have had him higher.

Tanner on the other hand works very hard but looks a touch too slow against tricky wingers and he was having a difficult time today.

[Wanderingred]

Such an impressive performance, and given the context it’s perhaps the best result of the season… We were playing a team bang in form, scoring goals for fun, our side is injury hit, out of form and have struggled for goals… Then we had a very shaky start and found ourselves a goal down. To come back and not only get the three points, but dominate the game is very pleasing.

[Numero Uno]

Great write-up. The only mark I would change out of that lot is King to a 7 or even an 8.

[Numero Uno]

2 hours ago, Wanderingred said:

Such an impressive performance, and given the context it’s perhaps the best result of the season… We were playing a team bang in form, scoring goals for fun, our side is injury hit, out of form and have struggled for goals… Then we had a very shaky start and found ourselves a goal down. To come back and not only get the three points, but dominate the game is very pleasing.

It's nice to be underestimated by opposition and give them a bloody nose for doing so. Stoke players, and possibly even the Manager, obviously thought they had done the job at half time and it was merely a case of running the clock down and being tight at the back for 45 minutes to win another game on their mini-run. It just can't be done in the Championship against anyone.

When you look at the underlying stats in Stoke's previous 5 matches they have battered the living daylights out of every team they have played.........all teams well above us in the table too. That puts our performance into context yesterday.