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You may not be able to tell from the report but he had a good game. Good to see that he is getting a run out.
Taken from http://www.stokecityfc.premiumtv.co....401638,00.html
Stoke City 2 Reading 2 (4-3 Penalties)
Posted on: Tue 23 Sep 2008
City secured a passage into the fourth round of the Carling Cup for the first time in eight years after ousting Championship side Reading on penalties after an entertaining affair at the Britannia Stadium
Vincent Pericard was the hero as he scored City's fifth penalty before Leroy Lita blazed his spot kick over.
The Potters had to fight for their victory after twice being pegged back by a dogged Steve Coppell outfit.
Pericard put the home side in front with a bullet header after just eight minutes, before a James Henry penalty sent the sides in level at the break.
Mali international Mama Sidibe restored City's lead just after the half-time whistle, only for Henry to grab a late second to take the tie into extra time.
Neither side managed to find a breakthrough in the added 30 minutes, meaning the game went to penalties, where City subsequently secured a place in this weekend's fourth round draw.
Tony Pulis stuck to his pre-match promise of resting a few key players ahead of the Chelsea game.
Only Higginbotham, Lawrence and Sidibe retained their spots in the starting eleven, with Higginbotham moving into central defence to skipper the side for the first time since he was last at the club.
Youngsters Carl Dickinson, Andy Wilkinson and Ryan Shawcross all lined up at the back with Steve Simonsen in goal.
Lawrence remained on the right, with Lewis Buxton and Glenn Whelan in the middle. Richard Cresswell was drafted in on the left hand side, while Pericard partnered Sidibe in attack.
Pulis' side took the game to their visitors early on, but it was Reading who carved out the first half-chance. However when just inside the box, Shane Long shot high and wide.
It took the Premier League side less than ten minutes to get their noses in front.
Stoke won a down their left hand side. Lawrence's floated corner was met with a powerful header by Pericard to give City the lead.
A few minutes after, Gunnarsson fired wide from distance after a Reading corner.
Convey hit a powerful shot from outside the box inside in the 18th minute, but Simonsen saved well.
The hosts had a chance to double their advantage around the 20 minute mark.
Pericard got his head to a long ball in a goal-mouth scramble and the ball dropped to Sidibe, but his shot was blocked.
Whelan was booked for shirt pulling just before Reading won a dangerous free kick on the edge of the box, following a disputed foul by Shawcross.
Bikey's free kick struck the wall, and Gunnarsson blazed the follow-up over the bar.
With five minutes to go to half time, the Potters came close again when Shawcross headed narrowly wide from a corner.
The visitors got back on level terms on the stroke of half time.
Bikey was tripped en route to goal by Higginbotham, and James Henry dispatched the spot-kick to leave the teams deadlocked at half time.
The Potters set about regaining control of the game in the second half and didn't have to wait long to take the lead again.
Five minutes after the restart City won a corner when Sidibe's met Whelan's deep free kick, but his effort was blocked.
From the resulting set piece, the ball found its way to Whelan, who's drilled shot was deflected off target, but Sidibe was on hand to provide an exquisite finish from an acute angle.
The home side had a scare in the 57th minute when Simonsen palmed Gunnarsson's effort to the edge of the box, but Cisse fired the rebound high over the cross bar.
Pulis looked to rest some of his stars after the hour, as Demar Phillips replaced Sidibe in the 62nd minute.
The Potters were stunned with a quarter of an hour to go when Reading equalised for a second time totally against the run of play.
The ball reached to Henry on the edge of the "D" after some good approach play by the visitors, and he unleashed a left footed belter past Simonsen to bag his second of the match.
The hosts almost went behind straight away, but fortunately England Under 21 international Lita headed wide from a yard out in front of an open goal.
Pulis immediately sprang into action, sending on Fuller in place of Cresswell as City searched for a win in normal time.
The hosts came within inches of edging back in front with less than ten minutes to go.
A deep penetrating cross from Lawrence was met by the head of Pericard, but his effort was clawed off the line by Federici in the away goal.
Fuller's entrance inspired the Potters and it was his driving run that almost produced a late winner for the Potters.
Picking the ball up in his own half, the Jamaican international beat three men before releasing Lawrence on the right.
His back post cross was met by Phillips, who pulled the ball back for Whelan to strike, but his left foot thunderbolt whisked narrowly wide.
Simonsen then saved from Convey and Shawcross blocked at a goal mouth scramble as oth sides sought a late victory.
It wasn't to be as the referee blew for full time, sending the game into 30 minutes extra time.
Shawcross sent two headers over in quick succession from Lawrence corners before another Fuller run and shot was saved by Federici during the first half of extra time.
Leon Cort came on to replace Higginbotham shortly before Simonsen produced an outstanding reflex safe from a Scott Golbourne header.
The Potters continued to press in the second period, with Fuller firing across goal with ten minutes to go.
Buxton came close to snatching a winner with a surprise long range left footed volley but Federici reacted quickly to hold on to the shot.
City's efforts came to nothing as the referee blew for full time a penalty shoot-out, which was the cause of the Potters' downfall against Rochdale last season.
The penalties were taken at the away end with the home side going first. Fuller stepped up first and slotted the ball calmly into the bottom left hand corner. Bikey scored for Reading.
Lawrence was the next hero for City as he scored in the bottom left corner, before Simonsen guessed correctly, diving to his left to deny Henry another goal from the spot.
Whelan then gave the Potters a 3-1 lead with a cool finish to Federici's left, then Sigurdsson halved the deficit for the visitors.
Disaster then struck for City as Buxton fired over and Long equalised to make it 3-3.
Pericard made it 4-3 with a low finish in the bottom right corner, before Lita blazed his effort over to hand Stoke City the tie.
Taken from http://www.stokecityfc.premiumtv.co....401638,00.html
Stoke City 2 Reading 2 (4-3 Penalties)
Posted on: Tue 23 Sep 2008
City secured a passage into the fourth round of the Carling Cup for the first time in eight years after ousting Championship side Reading on penalties after an entertaining affair at the Britannia Stadium
Vincent Pericard was the hero as he scored City's fifth penalty before Leroy Lita blazed his spot kick over.
The Potters had to fight for their victory after twice being pegged back by a dogged Steve Coppell outfit.
Pericard put the home side in front with a bullet header after just eight minutes, before a James Henry penalty sent the sides in level at the break.
Mali international Mama Sidibe restored City's lead just after the half-time whistle, only for Henry to grab a late second to take the tie into extra time.
Neither side managed to find a breakthrough in the added 30 minutes, meaning the game went to penalties, where City subsequently secured a place in this weekend's fourth round draw.
Tony Pulis stuck to his pre-match promise of resting a few key players ahead of the Chelsea game.
Only Higginbotham, Lawrence and Sidibe retained their spots in the starting eleven, with Higginbotham moving into central defence to skipper the side for the first time since he was last at the club.
Youngsters Carl Dickinson, Andy Wilkinson and Ryan Shawcross all lined up at the back with Steve Simonsen in goal.
Lawrence remained on the right, with Lewis Buxton and Glenn Whelan in the middle. Richard Cresswell was drafted in on the left hand side, while Pericard partnered Sidibe in attack.
Pulis' side took the game to their visitors early on, but it was Reading who carved out the first half-chance. However when just inside the box, Shane Long shot high and wide.
It took the Premier League side less than ten minutes to get their noses in front.
Stoke won a down their left hand side. Lawrence's floated corner was met with a powerful header by Pericard to give City the lead.
A few minutes after, Gunnarsson fired wide from distance after a Reading corner.
Convey hit a powerful shot from outside the box inside in the 18th minute, but Simonsen saved well.
The hosts had a chance to double their advantage around the 20 minute mark.
Pericard got his head to a long ball in a goal-mouth scramble and the ball dropped to Sidibe, but his shot was blocked.
Whelan was booked for shirt pulling just before Reading won a dangerous free kick on the edge of the box, following a disputed foul by Shawcross.
Bikey's free kick struck the wall, and Gunnarsson blazed the follow-up over the bar.
With five minutes to go to half time, the Potters came close again when Shawcross headed narrowly wide from a corner.
The visitors got back on level terms on the stroke of half time.
Bikey was tripped en route to goal by Higginbotham, and James Henry dispatched the spot-kick to leave the teams deadlocked at half time.
The Potters set about regaining control of the game in the second half and didn't have to wait long to take the lead again.
Five minutes after the restart City won a corner when Sidibe's met Whelan's deep free kick, but his effort was blocked.
From the resulting set piece, the ball found its way to Whelan, who's drilled shot was deflected off target, but Sidibe was on hand to provide an exquisite finish from an acute angle.
The home side had a scare in the 57th minute when Simonsen palmed Gunnarsson's effort to the edge of the box, but Cisse fired the rebound high over the cross bar.
Pulis looked to rest some of his stars after the hour, as Demar Phillips replaced Sidibe in the 62nd minute.
The Potters were stunned with a quarter of an hour to go when Reading equalised for a second time totally against the run of play.
The ball reached to Henry on the edge of the "D" after some good approach play by the visitors, and he unleashed a left footed belter past Simonsen to bag his second of the match.
The hosts almost went behind straight away, but fortunately England Under 21 international Lita headed wide from a yard out in front of an open goal.
Pulis immediately sprang into action, sending on Fuller in place of Cresswell as City searched for a win in normal time.
The hosts came within inches of edging back in front with less than ten minutes to go.
A deep penetrating cross from Lawrence was met by the head of Pericard, but his effort was clawed off the line by Federici in the away goal.
Fuller's entrance inspired the Potters and it was his driving run that almost produced a late winner for the Potters.
Picking the ball up in his own half, the Jamaican international beat three men before releasing Lawrence on the right.
His back post cross was met by Phillips, who pulled the ball back for Whelan to strike, but his left foot thunderbolt whisked narrowly wide.
Simonsen then saved from Convey and Shawcross blocked at a goal mouth scramble as oth sides sought a late victory.
It wasn't to be as the referee blew for full time, sending the game into 30 minutes extra time.
Shawcross sent two headers over in quick succession from Lawrence corners before another Fuller run and shot was saved by Federici during the first half of extra time.
Leon Cort came on to replace Higginbotham shortly before Simonsen produced an outstanding reflex safe from a Scott Golbourne header.
The Potters continued to press in the second period, with Fuller firing across goal with ten minutes to go.
Buxton came close to snatching a winner with a surprise long range left footed volley but Federici reacted quickly to hold on to the shot.
City's efforts came to nothing as the referee blew for full time a penalty shoot-out, which was the cause of the Potters' downfall against Rochdale last season.
The penalties were taken at the away end with the home side going first. Fuller stepped up first and slotted the ball calmly into the bottom left hand corner. Bikey scored for Reading.
Lawrence was the next hero for City as he scored in the bottom left corner, before Simonsen guessed correctly, diving to his left to deny Henry another goal from the spot.
Whelan then gave the Potters a 3-1 lead with a cool finish to Federici's left, then Sigurdsson halved the deficit for the visitors.
Disaster then struck for City as Buxton fired over and Long equalised to make it 3-3.
Pericard made it 4-3 with a low finish in the bottom right corner, before Lita blazed his effort over to hand Stoke City the tie.