clan2
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Post by clan2 on Apr 8, 2008 7:55:18 GMT
sportinglife...
POTTERS TOTTER AT HOME TO PALACE
A superb volley from Jose Fonte helped Crystal Palace claim a 2-1 win at Stoke on Monday, which lifted the Eagles into the Coca-Cola Championship play-off places.
The Palace centre-back scored on the stroke of half-time to double his side's advantage after Tom Soares had headed Palace in front in the 21st minute.
Glenn Whelan pulled a goal back for the Potters six minutes from time, another magnificent volley, but Palace held on and climb up to sixth at the expense of Wolves, while Stoke remain a point behind leaders Bristol City.
Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock said: "We were able to deal with everything they threw at us.
"Free-kicks, long balls and corners were being thrown in at us from pretty much all angles.
"It's not going to be pretty to watch but we tried to get the ball down and play as much we could.
"Everybody put their heads in where it hurt and it was a typical Neil Warnock-type performance with our never-say-die attitude so I'm delighted."
Stoke counterpart Tony Pulis said: "Full credit the lads - they produced a fantastic second-half performance and really had a go.
"A lot of teams could have crumbled and we were a little bit short on luck as much as anything else.
"Their second goal just before half-time killed it and that really knocked us."
telegraph.........
Jose Fonte revives Crystal Palace hopes
Stoke City (0) 1 Crystal Palace (2) 2
Neil Warnock already has six promotions on his CV - and the prospect of a seventh moved closer after Crystal Palace climbed into the play-off places last night. First-half goals by Tom Soares and Jose Fonte stunned a Stoke side who needed only to draw to regain pole position in the Championship.
Stoke City homepage | Crystal Palace homepage Telegraph TV: Premier and Football League highlights Football fans' forumadvertisement Glenn Whelan gave Stoke hope with an 85th-minute volley from 20 yards, but even five minutes of stoppage time and frenzied pressure could not deny Palace revenge for their 3-1 defeat at Selhurst Park in Warnock's first home match as manager last October.
Stoke had gone into the evening knowing five wins from their final five games would guarantee Premier League status after 23 years outside the top flight. If the task sounded straightforward - especially with lowly Coventry, Colchester and Leicester on the fixture list - it had to be set against a run of only one victory from seven matches.
Two famous Potters of the past, Gordon Banks and Alan Hudson, were introduced to the crowd as the PA announcer strove to whip up a suitably fervent atmosphere. His exhortations initially seemed to work, Stoke pouring forward and coming desperately close to the early breakthrough they craved.
Mamady Sidibe had kept his place up front for Stoke in preference to 14-goal Ricardo Fuller, despite having scored just twice all season. He looked set to increase his tally in the 11th minute when he leapt to meet Rory Delap's throw-in and his header evaded Julian Speroni's dive, but the ball struck the far post and trickled teasingly along the line before being cleared.
Palace, however, used their wingers, Victor Moses and on-loan Chelsea player Scott Sinclair, to increasing effect. The pace of Moses, 17, gave Andy Griffin some torrid moments, and when Sinclair, 19, danced past Danny Pugh midway through the first half, he was composed enough to pick out Soares, who headed his fourth goal of the season at the far post.
On the stroke of half-time, Palace doubled their lead. The danger looked to have passed when the home team cleared a free-kick to the centre circle, only for Shaun Derry's pass to find Fonte still lurking upfield. The defender, who is on loan from Benfica and has a brother in Arsenal's academy, brought the ball down with his left foot and volleyed past Carlo Nash with his right from 18 yards for his first goal in English football.
Stoke had overturned a 2-0 deficit in beating Scunthorpe in February and that precedent, along with the introduction of Fuller, saw them press with renewed vigour after the break. Fonte and his colleagues faced a barrage of high crosses and long throws, with the ponytailed Speroni repeatedly called on to make acrobatic catches as the striped shirts besieged his area.
Fuller had a chance to halve the arrears in the 70th minute after surging through the inside-right channel. Speroni smothered his shot at the second attempt, and although Whelan set up a tense finale, Palace held out.
Match details
Stoke (4-4-2): Nash; Griffin, Cort, Riggott, Pugh; Cresswell, Delap, Whelan, Pearson (Bothroyd 76); Sidibe (Fuller 56), Ameobi. Subs: Simonsen (g), Shawcross, Dickinson. Crystal Palace (4-4-2): Speroni; Lawrence, Fonte, Hudson, Hill; Soares (Scannell 89), Derry, Watson, Moses (Reid 56); Sinclair (Fletcher 89), Morrison. Subs: Robinson, Butterfield. Booked: Hudson, Fletcher. Referee: M Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).
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Tom soars above stuttering Stoke Stoke 1 Crystal Palace 2
By COLIN WOOD - More by this author » Last updated at 23:16pm on 7th April 2008 Comments
Goals from Tom Soares and Jose Fonte wrecked Stoke's bid to take over at the top of the Championship and put Crystal Palace in the play-off zone.
Soares headed the opener for Palace after 22 minutes at a chilly Britannia Stadium and Fonte doubled the lead in the final seconds of the first half.
Glenn Whelan's superb right-foot volley from outside the box five minutes from time gave Stoke hope but Palace managed to cling on.
The home side knew that a point would be enough to take them above Bristol City into first place on goal difference but clearly wanted more and after eight minutes Mamady Sidibe was within inches of putting them in front with a header that just beat the diving Julian Speroni, hit the inside of a post and then rolled along the line.
But Palace had attacking ideas of their own, knowing that a win would lift them into the top six, and were given a big boost by Soares, although Scott Sinclair, on loan from Chelsea, had to be given much of the credit for the goal.
Sinclair produced the skill that has set him out as a star in the making with a fine run from the right and then provided the cross that midfielder Soares met to head in at the far post.
There was plenty of effort from both sides and no shortage of opportunities. After 27 minutes Stephen Pearson, scorer of the goal that won the play-off final for Derby last year, threatened to mark his first home appearance of a loan spell for Stoke with the equaliser. He hit a low left-foot shot but saw if deflected behind for a corner.
After 39 minutes Fonte saved Palace with a tackle on Sidibe as the striker was about to shoot. Then in the first minute of time added on at the end of the half by referee Mark Clattenburg, Palace struck again.
The goal followed a free kick from Ben Watson. Stoke's attempt to clear went only as far as Shaun Derry, who put the ball straight back into the danger area. Fonte reacted smartly and the defender — who is on loan from Benfica — smashed his shot past Carlo Nash from the edge of the penalty area for his first goal for the club.
Stoke went all out from the start of the second half and pushed Palace back. Speroni was forced into a fine save in the 54th minute, turning over a powerful cross-shot from Richard Cresswell that was heading just inside the angle of the near post and crossbar.
Ricardo Fuller, who started on the bench after a two-match ban, replaced Sidibe and had a chance in the 69th minute but his low shot was well saved by Speroni. Then midfielder Whelan ensured an exciting finale with his stunning goal but it was not enough for Stoke.
sun....
JOSE FONTE and Tom Soares grabbed the goals which stopped Stoke going top — and gave Palace even greater hope of another fairytale finish to the Championship fight.
Unlikely lads Soares, with only his fourth of the season, and Portuguese defender Fonte, netting his very first for the club, put the Potters to the sword before half-time.
And despite an all-out onslaught after the break, all Tony Pulis’ men could muster was Glenn Whelan’s late consolation.
Palace are aiming for a repeat of four years ago when they charged from the Championship depths to go up via the play-offs.
And teen wingers Scott Sinclair and Victor Moses ran Stoke’s giants ragged as the Eagles leapt to sixth — giving boss Neil Warnock real hope of a seventh promotion.
The Eagles survived an early scare when Mamady Sidibe’s header hit the inside of the far post before bouncing along the line to safety.
There was no escape for Stoke on 23 minutes though, when Sinclair turned Danny Pugh inside out, then lofted a tempting centre for Soares to plant home a firm header.
It became 2-0 in added time. Fonte pulled down Shaun Derry’s pass with his left foot and aimed a volley beyond Carlo Nash’s despairing dive.
The picture changed after the interval as Stoke piled forward.
Pulis tore his hair out as his side wasted chance after chance, while visiting keeper Julian Speroni shone.
The Potters did pull one back on 84 minutes when Whelan volleyed home from 20 yards — but it was too little, too late
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