Stoke City 2-1 Luton Town
Match Report
Gutting! The word that was on the end of everyone's tongues at the whistle. A stunner from Brammer cost us a well deserved and hard fought point at The Brit. To say a late wonder goal sealed the hosts' victory would not be the whole story, though credit to Stoke who kept pressing late on and Brammer struck a fantastic finish to the top left of the net - Beresford no chance.
It all started so well for The Town though, who went ahead through that man Morgan again on nine minutes, after a misguided Stoke header fell to him and he struck it sweetly, where many others would have blasted over.
*GOAL 9 minutes Potters 0-1 HATTERS
In the ten or so minutes after we took the lead we looked good and were unlucky not to go ahead. However, the game's definite turning point was midway through the first half when referee Andy D'Urso decided to send Steve Howard off, to the amazement of the 3,000 odd away fans at the other end. News flooded through that it was down to a spitting incident - idiot Howard or awful reffing? Undoubtedly awful reffing and even their no.2 who was the 'victim' of the apparent attack seemd to know not what was going on. Either way, we held Stoke (and more...) and it wasn't until the second half that they seemed to take advantage of the extra man.
*Half-time Stoke City 0-1 Luton Town
The second period was when the town, almost definitely because of Howard's booking, started looking second best in some departments. It wasn't too much of a shock therefore, when Broomes finished a nice Stoke move to place the ball under Beresford and into the net.
*GOAL 62 minutes POTTERS 1-1 Hatters
At last some noise from Stokies and a bit of an atmopshere at The Brit occured. However, on second inspection from highlights on television, Beresford is very much to blame for that goal, the ball squeezing under him when he should have had it covered. On his first match back from injury however, Beresford took no rap from the Hatter's fans thankfully.
As full-time approached it looked at though, despite Enoch Showunmi's (on as sub) best efforts, the game was going to end all square. To my personal surprise, Newell had brought Enoch on as a lone striker, taking off Morgan and Feeney - I'm sure after Showunmi's display means he won't be doing that again - ten men or not! Hearts were broke in the first of just two stoppage time minutes however, when a simple enough midfield move turned into a wonder goal for the Potters, who barely deserved it. Brammer took the ball to a few yards outside the box and decided to shoot, as fantastic a goal as it was, many away fans couldn't take it and decided to leave there and then.
*GOAL 90 (+1) minutes POTTERS 2-1 Hatters
Others let rip at referee D'Urso as soon as his whislte went about thirty or so seconds after the re-start. It had been another good performance from the men in black, but without any points to show for it. Two seasons ago anybody!?
As I said, gutting is the only word for it. The inquest begins as to what excatly happened between Howard and the Stokie. Not that a red card could possibly be recinded helped matters on the way home on the coach!
*Full-time Stoke City 2-1 Luton Town
Steve Bostock©
bravenet.com