Fuller Strikes again.

[Me]

Stoke is leading against Sunderland 1-0.


Hope he keeps up the good work.

[Raggs]

well done sah......keep showing ur class.

[Gamma]

how many dat fi di season suh far?

[Nemesis]

He's carrying that team on his shoulders.

[Me]

4 for the season.

[Me]

He's carrying that team on his shoulders.

He truly is this time since Liam Lawrence, their other magical player, is out injured.

[Hortical]

Stoke 1-0 Sunderland

Stoke 1-0 Sunderland


By Aimee Lewis


Fuller scored his fourth Premier League goal of the season

Ricardo Fuller headed home a Rory Delap throw-in to give Stoke a deserved win against a below-par Sunderland.
Fuller came close to giving Stoke a first-half lead, but Anton Ferdinand cleared from near his goal-line.
The lively Jamaican then got the winner when he leapt above the Sunderland defence to powerfully head into the corner from six yards.
And Fuller could easily gave doubled the score, but the striker hit the post when put through by Michael Tonge.
Sunderland boss Roy Keane had warned that any player showing signs of complacency after the team's victory over Newcastle on Saturday should stay away from the Britannia Stadium and watch soap operas instead.
Those Black Caps players who were on the pitch were perhaps wishing they had remained at home as Sunderland were out-muscled by a Stoke side who should have scored more.
Stoke next face Arsenal at home and on this form Delap and Stoke's towering forwards will give the Gunners some food for thought.
Delap's catapult throw-ins predictably caused problems and the Black Cats gave their former player far too many opportunities to launch from the sidelines.
The first half belonged to the home team, with Tony Pulis's side bombarding the Sunderland half with long balls and crosses for Mamady Sidibe to flick on to strike-partner Fuller.
Indeed, the energetic Fuller had the best chance of the half when Sidibe headed on a Rory Delap long-throw, which the Jamaican tried to poke into the net only for the alert Ferdinand to save Sunderland's blushes.
In the 20th minute, Seyi Olofinjana's drive from the edge of the box needed Marton Fulop to use every sinew to get down low to is right.
Sunderland were sloppy in possession, epitomised by Dean Whitehead when, under no pressure, the midfielder gave the ball away cheaply in his own half.
The visitors, reduced to half chances in the first 45 minutes, the best of which was a wayward Djibril Cisse header, brought on Kenwyne Jones for the start of the second half to work alongside strikers Cisse and El-Hadji Diouf in a 4-3-3 formation.
However, Stoke continued to dominate and were inches from taking the lead when a Fuller shot ricocheted off Phil Bardsley and bounced away across goal to safety.
Keane made a further change, bringing on Michael Chopra for Cisse, but it made little difference as Stoke took the lead with Fuller scoring his fourth league goal of the season.
606: DEBATE
What did you think of the game?
The striker then hit the post when a delightful Tonge reverse pass put him through on goal.
Jones forced Thomas Sorensen into a fine save with a low shot to the corner as Sunderland pushed forward in the closing stages.
But there was to be no last-minute heroics despite Sunderland's reputation for scoring late goals this season.
BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Sunerland's Kieran Richardson 8.22 (on 90 minutes).

[Raggs]

Rory Delap throw-ins are of de maverick proportion....vital ingredient for Stoke City.

[Raggs]

ah hope he comes in again for Austin come January window transfer time.

[Me]

I don't think Austin can move in January again.

[Sam !!]

Austin has to wait until a year after his previous permit application before he can to try again...

[Tilla]

Austin has to wait until a year after his previous permit application before he can to try again...

Not only that. Nothing has changed since the application. We are still ranked 116 or something like that. We have to be ranked 70 or above for consideration.

[Zeppo]

Good for Fuller! He's having an excellent season so far.

BTW - he doesn't score on headers very often, does he? Or am I mistaken?

[Brush]

Good for Fuller! He's having an excellent season so far.

BTW - he doesn't score on headers very often, does he? Or am I mistaken?

I think this is his 2nd or third header thus far.

[Zeppo]

Of this season? Or of his career?