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Stoke City 0-0 Town
Stoke City 0-0 Town
Tuesday, 30th Jan 2007 23:01

Town recorded their second successive clean sheet in a largely uneventful 0-0 draw at Stoke. New signing Jon Walters forced Potters' keeper Steve Simonsen into a good second half save and the Blues had two good penalty calls, while Mamady Sidibe missed a sitter for the home side.

Fabian Wilnis, making his 300th Town appearance, skippered the Blues in the absence of Richard Naylor, who failed to recover from his bruised toe. The Dutchman played at centre-half alongside David Wright, back from his one-match ban. Alan Lee also missed out, having felt his hamstring in the latter stages of Saturday's game against Swansea. New signing Jon Walters started up front on his own with Owen Garvan returning to the line-up.

Town's new striker almost scored in the opening minute when Gavin Williams sent Gary Roberts away on the left, the former Accrington man sending in cross which Walters flicked across Simonsen, the keeper managing to scramble off his line at full stretch.

Roberts hit a 25-yard shot wide, then Dan Harding made an important challenge on Fuller after a slip by Wilnis.

Danny Higginbotham sent a freekick well over the bar from 10 yards outside the area, but chances were rare at either end, although the Blues had enjoyed most of the possession.

On 21 Fuller shot over from a tight angle as the visitors worked their way more into the game, partly as a result of Town repeatedly giving the ball away.

Dan Harding was adamant he should have been awarded a penalty in the 43rd minute, the left-back breaking into the area and appearing to be tripped by a combination of Michael Duberry and Salif Diao. But the Blues had been given very little by referee Colin Webster throughout the half and this occasion was no exception.


Stoke ought to have gone in front a minute later, Liam Lawrence whipping in a corner and an unmarked Fuller heading wide of the near post.

Referee Webster was booed off by Town fans at the break, partly due to the penalty incident but mainly for the sheer number of throw-in or corner decisions he and his linesmen had inexplicably managed to get wrong.

The second half started with a scare for the Blues, Lewis Price missing a cross but Mamady Sidibe heading wide.

On 55 Gary Roberts received a yellow card for what appeared to be his reaction to being fouled, hardly enhancing referee Webster's reputation with Town supporters, particularly as the home players involved in the incident weren't even spoken to. Roberts will now miss the Leicester game after reaching five bookings for the season.

Roberts shot well wide on the hour, but then created the Blues' chance of the half for Jon Walters. The winger sent the ball in from the right to the near post where Walters cleverly headed the ball back across Simonsen. It looked a goal all the way until the former England U21 international keeper got his fingertips to the ball and pushed it round the post.

It was the best opportunity created by Town, who were by now dominating the game, holding onto the ball for long spells.

Owen Garvan picked up a yellow card on 64 for a foul on Liam Lawrence as Stoke broke quickly. Three minutes later George O'Callaghan replaced Gavin Williams.

The Blues had their second decent shout for a penalty in the 68th minute when Gary Roberts's shot clearly struck Carl Hoefkens's hand on the edge of the area. Certainly it would have been a significantly less harsh spotkick than the one given against David Wright against Colchester recently.

With 25 minutes left on the clock, Sidibe missed a golden chance to put his side in front. New Stoke loan signing Lee Martin crossed from the left and The former Gillingham man somehow managed to send the ball over the bar from the edge of the six-yard box.

The home side's main danger had come from corners throughout and in the 81st minute Sito saw a Sidibe header out of play at the post. From the subsequent corner the Spaniard was on the spot to clear again, but the referee had already whistled for a push.

George O'Callaghan received his first Town yellow card for a challenge in the 86th minute, although the Irishman had very evidently won the ball and protested as much to the woeful Mr Webster.

With seconds of three minutes of injury time remaining, Danny Haynes came on for Jaime Peters.

A decent point from a generally poor quality game with neither keeper overstretched. Stoke had Simonsen to thank for one excellent save, while Ricardo Fuller and Mamady Sidibe failed to force Price into any similar stops, failing to hit the target with their side's best opportunities.

With a makeshift defence fielded for the second game running, a second clean sheet in a row was an achievement in itself.

New striker Jon Walters showed one or two clever touches but failed to get the better of Michael Duberry in the air, however he will count himself unlucky not to have scored with the second half header saved so well by Simonsen.

Town: Price, Sito, Harding, Wilnis, Wright, Legwinski, Williams (O'Callaghan 67), Garvan, Roberts, Peters (Haynes 90), Walters. Unused: Supple, Casement, Clarke. Att: 11,812.


Photo: Action Images



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