Match Reports from the papers

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only seen the Sunday Mirrors offering posted so i will go and find the rest

Sportinglife.com

Stoke 1 Blackpool 1


Leon Cort's second-half equaliser cancelled out an earlier effort from Blackpool striker Ben Burgess and helped leaders Stoke forge a slender one-point lead at the top of the Coca-Cola Championship.

The Potters produced a dominant display throughout against Simon Grayson's side at the Britannia Stadium, but fell behind when Burgess netted his eighth goal of the season eight minutes before half-time.

But Cort kept Stoke's title tilt alive by hauling the sides level two minutes into the second period.

Mamady Sidibe also saw a headed effort hit the post and Richard Cresswell twice went close as the home side were left to rue their profligacy.

Stoke may now have only won one of their last six games, but continue to lead the way as their fellow promotion rivals also endure a slump in form.

Blackpool, meanwhile, are now five points clear of the relegation places after a dogged defensive showing.

A major traffic accident caused the kick-off to be delayed by 30 minutes - but when the game eventually got under way it was the hosts who started strongly.

Salif Diao volleyed just over from 25 yards with 50 seconds gone, and Sidibe headed against the post after rising to meet Paul Gallagher's fifth-minute free-kick.

Cresswell fired straight at Paul Rachubka from the edge of the penalty area shortly afterwards - and the former Preston forward somehow missed the target from six yards following Gallagher's inswinging left-wing corner.

Cresswell continued to look lively and drilled over from 20 yards on the half-hour mark, before Burgess broke the deadlock after 37 minutes.

Burgess broke from midfield before dispatching a low, right-footed 20-yard drive which appeared to take a slight deflection off Leon Cort before beating goalkeeper Carlo Nash.

The opening goal stunned Stoke, but they responded in the perfect fashion and hauled themselves level two minutes into the second half.

Gallagher's right-wing corner caused panic in the Blackpool penalty area and Burgess eventually headed the ball into the path of Cort, who volleyed home through a cluster of players from six yards.

Cort had barely finished celebrating his eighth goal of the season when he was forced to hobble out of the game with an injury and was replaced by Gabriel Zakuani.

Pulis also sent on Jay Bothroyd, on loan from Wolves, for his home debut in the hope of mustering a winner but chances were few and fair between after Cort's leveller.

With 17 minutes remaining, Chris Riggott headed Bothroyd's right-wing corner just wide while Claus Jorgensen skewed wide from fully 35 yards at the other end.

Jorgensen was then required to make a superb goal-line clearance in the last minute as he found himself in the right place, at the right time to hack Sidibe's header from a Gallagher corner to safety.

There was still time for Bothroyd to fire right-footed at Rachubka from 30 yards but both sides had to settle for a point.

Teams:

Stoke Nash, Griffin, Cort (Zakuani 54), Riggott, Pugh, Delap,Whelan, Diao (Wilkinson 9), Gallagher, Cresswell, Sidibe,Wilkinson (Bothroyd 65).

Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Parkin.

Goals: Cort 47.

Blackpool Rachubka, Crainey, Gorkss, Evatt, Barker, Hoolahan,Flynn, Jorgensen, Taylor-Fletcher (Holt 86), Burgess, McPhee.

Subs Not Used: Coid, Morrell, Fox, Welsh.

Booked: Jorgensen.

Goals: Burgess 37.

Att: 20,019

Ref: Mike Pike (Cumbria).

STAT ATTACK
2
Shots On Target
2
10
Shots Off Target
10
10
Fouls (Conceded)
10
12
Corners
4
0
Yellow Cards
1
0
Red Cards
0

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Post match comments, same source

PUGH: IT'S IN OUR HANDS


Midfielder Danny Pugh believes that Stoke's bid for promotion to the Premier League is in their own hands.

The Potters are a point clear of Bristol City at the top of the Coca-Cola Championship after their draw with Blackpool on Saturday.

With just six games remaining Pugh is confident they can hold on to land a place in the top flight.

The 25-year-old told the club's official website: "The rest of the season is still in our own hands and it is up to us to make sure we achieve what we want to achieve.

"We would have snapped anyone's hand off to be in this position at the start of the season and we will be giving it our all for the last six games."




Pulis - not happy with his back eight

PULIS FURY OVER LATE REF


Angry Stoke boss Tony Pulis blasted referee Mike Pike after his late arrival forced the kick-off against Blackpool to be delayed by 30 minutes.

Leon Cort grabbed a late equaliser to earn a 1-1 draw that kept Stoke on top of the Championship after Ben Burgess had fired Blackpool ahead but afterwards Pulis vented his frustration at Pike.

The Blackpool team coach was also caught up in the heavy traffic after a serious accident on the M6 caused miles of tailbacks.

But Pulis believed Pike, who lives in Cumbria, should have stayed in Stoke on Friday night to make sure he was at the ground in good time.

He said: "It's a serious lack of professionalism by the referee and I'm amazed. He should have used his expenses and stayed here overnight.

"He chose to travel down the busiest road in the country on the day of the game during a holiday period. Astonishing.

"I had to drag my players in from the warm up, we were all sitting around for half an hour, and then I had to send them out again."

Pulis' anger was no doubt magnified by the fact his team missed the chance to pull three points clear at the top of the Championship.

But he said: "We are still in a very strong position and our fate remains in our hands. Blackpool are a decent side and, as I've said many times before, anyone can beat anyone in this division."

Stoke did try to take advantage of Blackpool's late arrival, with Salif Diao going close before Mamady Sidibe headed Paul Gallagher's fifth minute free-kick against a post.

But the visitors gradually recovered from their tough journey and Stoke's fast start as Claus Jorgensen and Burgess both tested home 'keeper Carlo Nash.

And it was Burgess who made the breakthrough in the 37th minute, collecting a short pass from Steve McPhee to strike a shot which deflected off home defender Cort to leave Nash stranded.

Ian Evatt was inches away from adding a second on the stroke of half-time and Stoke left the field with the boos of many home fans ringing in their ears.

Pulis' side gained the perfect tonic less than two minutes later when Burgess undid his good work by handing Stoke their equaliser on a plate. The lofty striker headed Gallagher's corner straight into the path of Cort who smuggled his six-yard shot past Paul Rachubka, despite failing to make a sweet contact.

Blackpool, to their credit, did not flinch and they came close to retaking the lead when Steve McPhee's header was clutched low down by the diving Nash.

And Stoke never seriously threatened a winner until stoppage time, when Sidibe had a header cleared off the line by Jorgensen.

Blackpool boss Simon Grayson said: "We were here and prepared for a 3pm kick-off, but it was us who eventually got the delay.

"One of our officials contacted the Football League to ask the question. I don't know who actually made the decision, but the answer we got was we could kick off at 3.30pm.

"I could understand Stoke's frustration, but we started off from Blackpool at 10am for a 75-minute journey and it took over four hours to get here.

"I had to do my team talk on the coach, the players ate some toast and bits of chicken in the dressing room, then we had to get on with it.

"I told them I wouldn't accept our problems as an excuse for a poor performance and they rallied to the call. It was a very good point and we could have got all three."

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Guardian/Observer

Pulis ahead of himself with rant at referee


Jeremy Alexander at the Britannia Stadium
Monday March 24, 2008
The Guardian

Referees never get it right. Mike Pike got it wrong before he arrived. Driving from Barrow (133 miles) he was trapped in the tailback from an accident, which closed the M6 for four hours. So were Blackpool, who got here at 2.10pm, 2½ hours after ETA. Pike made it at 2.30. Dialogue with the League decreed a half-hour delay to kick-off. This cut no ice with Tony Pulis, who launched a Premier League rant.

Article continues
"It's very unprofessional," said Stoke's manager. "He gets expenses and should have stayed overnight [official advice is to do so at 80 miles or more] but he chose to travel down the busiest road in the country on the day during a holiday period. Astonishing. We were already warming up. I had to drag my players in, wait half an hour, then send them out again. We never pull muscles here but we've lost Salif Diao, probably for the season, and Leon Cort. We've been punished for other people's failings." Cort's muscle went after half-time. Five victims of the M6 crash were air-lifted to hospital, where two remain.

Managers are always praising their players for showing character. Some could show a bit more themselves -perspective, too. Coping with pressure is part of the job and Pulis, who has exceeded expectation in placing Stoke on top of the table, is not doing it well. "I believe we've copped a hell of a lot of decisions which have been unjust this season," said his programme notes. "You just hope that over the next seven games the club receives the justice it deserves." Pike would not have read that beforehand. He refereed impeccably. He had no comment on Stoke's hotels.

Simon Grayson upheld the dignity of the manager's job despite disappointment that Blackpool's classier play had not been fully rewarded: "We had the team meeting on the bus with toast and cereal bars, with scraps of chicken when we got here. It was not ideal but I told them not to use it as an excuse." Of Ben Burgess, who cancelled out his first-half goal by setting up Stoke's equaliser straight after the restart, when he nodded a corner from beyond the far post back into his own goalmouth for Cort, Grayson said: "He forgot we'd turned round." At 6ft 3in Burgess would qualify for Stoke, whose programme reports confirm a tall obsession by giving the teams' average height. First measure them, then see if they can control a ball.

Blackpool, with two central defensive giants in Ian Evatt and Kaspars Gorkss, stood firm against Stoke's physicality.They are not safe but their determination to work the ball forward through craft deserves to give them a second season in the second tier after 29 years below. Wes Hoolahan was not quite Stanley Matthews, but showed a winger's will to dribble.

Stoke are straight up and down like their stripes, with the once influential midfielder Rory Delap anonymous except for his torpedo throw-ins. They were without Liam Lawrence, their own answer to Matthews who, in 1961, returned from Blackpool to guide Stoke to the top tier 18 months later, when he was 48. Pulis bemoaned the absence of Lawrence, Ricardo Fuller and Ryan Shawcross, his three leading scorers, all suspended, but that is what happens when the cards stack up. Stoke, top of the division's yellow list, were vigorously clean on Saturday. Perhaps a penny has dropped.

Another, about professionalism, could usefully follow but, if Stoke go up, Pulis will find Sir Alex Ferguson confirming his view that, if his side do not take all the points, it is the referee who got it wrong.

Man of the match: Mike Pike (referee)

Match Facts
Championship
Saturday March 22, 2008
FT Stoke 1-1 Blackpool
37' 0-1 Burgess
40' Jorgensen
47' Cort 1-1
Stoke
Carlo Nash, Leon Cort (Gaby Zakuani), Andy Griffin, Danny Pugh, Chris Riggott, Rory Delap, Salif Diao (Andy Wilkinson (Jay Bothroyd)), Paul Gallagher, Glenn Whelan, Richard Cresswell, Mamady Sidibe

Blackpool
Paul Rachubka, Shaun Barker, Stephen Crainey, Ian Evatt, Kaspars Gorkss, Michael Flynn, Wes Hoolahan, Claus Jorgensen, Gary Taylor-Fletcher (Grant Holt), Ben Burgess, Stephen McPhee

Referee: Pike, M

Venue: Britannia Stadium

Attendance: 20,019

Corners:
Stoke 12
Blackpool 4

Goal Attempts:
Stoke 12
Blackpool 12

On Target:
Stoke 2
Blackpool 2

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Independent

Stoke City 1 Blackpool 1: Pulis vents fury after Stoke suffer delayed reaction


By Jon Culley
Monday, 24 March 2008

Managers lambasting referees is nothing new. The broadside Tony Pulis aimed at Mike Pike, however, was different: it was not what the Cumbrian official did on the field but what he did off it that had the Stoke manager in a lather.

Pike did not arrive at the Britannia Stadium until 2.35pm, his lateness one of several factors that led to the kick-off being delayed 30 minutes. Along with the Blackpool team coach and many travelling supporters, Pike had been stuck on the M6 after a multi-vehicle crash that closed the motorway for several hours. It seemed a reasonable excuse. But Pulis said it was unprofessional.

"There was a major accident on the motorway and, of course, you cannot see that coming," Pulis said. "But I have to question why, on a bank holiday weekend, you don't travel down the night before the game. Both teams were here, the supporters were here and yet the referee can't get here on time. To me it shows a serious lack of professionalism."

Pike would have none of that. "It normally takes two hours and 15 minutes from Barrow-in-Furness," he said. "I've done it many times and it is one of my easiest journeys, so I never gave a thought to staying overnight.

"It was a police decision to put it back. OK, we kicked off half an hour late but it was an accident, nobody's fault. I heard that someone died; this was a game of football."

Happily, he was wrong about the fatality, although there were seven injured. Still, the point about perspective was valid. Simon Grayson, Blackpool's manager, took a calmer view.

"We arrived at 10 past two," he said. "It was not ideal. We had a pre-match meal booked for 11.30am and ended up eating toast, cereal bars and cold chicken in the dressing room. But we would have got on with it and played at three."

Pulis seemed to blame the disruption for the injuries suffered by Salif Diao and Leon Cort, who both withdrew with muscle strains. "We don't get pulled muscles here because we warm up properly," he said.

It was hard not to think it was a bad result talking. Without Liam Lawrence, their most creative midfielder, and their imaginative striker Ricardo Fuller, Stoke lacked guile. Late on, they made Blackpool defend for all their worth, Ian Evatt making some heroic tackles and Claus Jorgensen clearing a Mamady Sidibe header off the line, but a point was the right reward for the Seasiders.

Ben Burgess had put them ahead with a 20-yard shot deflected off Cort, who equalised from close range after Burgess's attempt to head clear from a corner went horribly wrong.

Stoke edged a point ahead of Bristol City at the top of the Championship table, leaving Blackpool a point closer to safety. "The target changes every week," Grayson said. "I thought 52 points would be enough, but people are now saying it could need a record high tally to stay up."

Goals: Burgess (37) 0-1; Cort (47) 1-1.

Stoke City (4-4-2): Nash; Griffin, Cort (Zakuani, 54), Riggott, Pugh; Delap, Whelan, Diao (Wilkinson, 9; Bothroyd, 65), Gallagher; Cresswell, Sidibe. Substitutes

not used: Simonsen (gk), Parkin.

Blackpool (4-4-2): Rachubka; Crainey, Gorkss, Evatt, Barker; Hoolahan, Flynn, Jorgensen, Taylor-Fletcher (Holt, 86); Burgess, McPhee. Substitutes not used: Coid, Morrell, Fox, Welsh.

Referee: M Pike (Cumbria).

Booked: Blackpool Jorgensen.

Man of the match: Evatt.

Attendance: 20,019.

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News of the World


TONY'S ROAD RAGE

FURIOUS Stoke manager Tony Pulis blamed referee Mike Pike's late arrival for his side's stuttering display.

The Cumbria-based official got held up in a big M6 traffic jam, as did the Blackpool team coach.

The Seasiders arrived just 50 minutes before the scheduled kick-off time and were prepared to start at 3pm as planned.

But Pike arrived even later and the game was put back 30 minutes.

Pulis said: "The referee turning up late is very unprofessional.

"He's come from Cumbria on an Easter Bank Holiday weekend when you know the roads are going to be very busy. He should have stopped overnight.

"We had warmed up for a three o'clock kick-off, but then we had to sit around in the dressing room and wait for the delayed start.

"We don't get muscle injuries at this club but we lost both Salif Diao and Leon Cort due to those problems and that certainly affected us."

Blackpool boss Simon Grayson said: "We set off at 10am but because of the problems we didn't get here until two ten.

"The team had their pre-match meal in the dressing room but I was still prepared to kick off at 3pm.

"In the end though, the game was delayed and I wasn't unhappy about that because it gave us a bit longer to prepare."

Flying

The delay appeared to affect the visitors more than the Potters, who made a flying start with both midfielder Diao and striker Mamady Sidibe going close.

City winger Paul Gallagher then forced keeper Paul Rachubka into a diving save on 36 minutes.

But within seconds the Seasiders took the lead as striker Ben Burgess fired in a 20-yard shot that deflected off central defender Cort to loop beyond Stoke keeper Carlo Nash into the net.

Cort then took advantage of a Burgess mistake to equalise 90 seconds into the second half.

For some reason the Blackpool striker headed Gallagher's corner back into the six-yard box for Cort to stab home his eighth goal of the season.

Grayson quipped: "I think Ben probably forgot we'd turned round. But I'll accept the mistake as he had got our goal."

Blackpool managed to survive a last-minute scare when Claus Jorgensen had to head a Sidibe header off the line.

But they secured an important point in their bid to stay up.

Grayson said: "We're getting there at a snail's pace — I'd like a victory as soon as possible."

Stoke's point was only their sixth from the last 18 on offer, but it kept them in the lead of the craziest Championship promotion race in years.

String

With Bristol City, Watford and West Brom also stumbling, it seems that no one side can pull clear and make top spot their own.

But Pulis said: "It's not nervousness, it's just that there are so many teams so close and anybody can beat anybody on a given day.

"Today though, we were missing three players — Ricardo Fuller, Liam Lawrence and Ryan Shawcross — who between them have scored 38 goals. It might have been different if they'd been playing."

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Sunday Telegraph

Blackpool put brake on Stoke's Premier push

By Ian Bayley
Last Updated: 12:57am GMT 24/03/2008

Have your say Read comments

Stoke City (0) 1 Blackpool (1) 1

The race for a place in the Premier League continues to creep along at a snail's pace, rather like the Bank Holiday traffic jams which caused referee Mike Pike to arrive late and forced the kick-off to be put back by half an hour.


Stoke boss Tony Pulis felt the delay was responsible for his side's off-key display, although in truth the absence through suspension of his two leading goal scorers and most influential players this season, Ricardo Fuller and Liam Lawrence, was more significant to the outcome.

Pulis chose afterwards to focus on what he considered to be the referee's part in the failure of his Championship leaders to considerably strengthen their Premier League claims on an Easter weekend when out of the five leading teams, only Hull won. "It was a serious lack of professionalism by the referee," said Pulis, referring to the fact that Pike rolled up at the Britannia Stadium just 25 minutes before the scheduled start, having endured the sort of road trip that haunts every commuter.

Pulis added: "I am amazed he chose to travel down the busiest road in the country on the day of the game during a holiday period. He could have travelled on Friday and stayed overnight.

"I had to drag my players in from the warm up, we were all sitting around for half an hour, and then I had to send them out again."

Pike replied: "It was an unfortunate set of circumstances because of the accident on the motorway but it happens, and it was a police decision to put the kick-off back. I wouldn't want to comment on what Tony said, but did it really affect the result of the game?"

Ben Burgess' 36th-minute goal gave the visitors the lead before Leon Cort headed Stoke's equaliser 10 minutes later.

Match details

Stoke (4-4-2): Nash; Griffin, Cort (Zakuani 55), Riggott, Pugh; Delap, Whelan, Diao (Wilkinson 8, Bothroyd 65), Gallagher; Cresswell, Sidibe.
Subs: Simonsen (g), Parkin.
Goal: Cort (47).
Blackpool (4-4-2): Rachubka; Crainey, Gorkss, Evatt, Barker; Hoolahan, Flynn, Jorgensen, Taylor-Fletcher (Holt 86); Burgess, McPhee.
Subs: Coid, Morrell, Fox, Welsh.
Goal: Burgess (36).
Booked: Jorgensen 40.
Referee: M Pike (Cumbria).

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Mail on Sunday

Late-show referee has cost us dear, says Pulis
Stoke 1 Blackpool 1

Last updated at 22:20pm on 22nd March 2008


Stoke manager Tony Pulis hammered referee Mike Pike for 'a serious lack of professionalism' after his late arrival delayed the kick-off by 30 minutes.

An accident on the M6 had hampered Pike's trip from Cumbria as well as Blackpool's team bus.

Pulis said: 'I can't believe the referee has travelled down the busiest road in the country on Easter Saturday. He should have had an overnight stay. It's a serious lack of professionalism.'

Pulis claimed the late kickoff caused Salif Diao and scorer Leon Cort to suffer muscle injuries, saying: 'We sent the players out to warm up, but had to bring them back in and send them out again. Salif has done a hamstring and could be out for the season and Leon has pulled his calf muscle.'

The delay did not appear to affect Stoke in the opening stages as Mamady Sidibe hit a post. But Ben Burgess stunned the home crowd in the 37th minute when his 14-yard snap-shot deflected in off Cort.

But, Burgess inexplicably headed Paul Gallagher's corner straight into the path of Cort, whose shot deflected in for the defender's eighth goal of the season.

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From The Sunday Times
March 23, 2008
Leon Cort saves Stoke point
Stoke 1 Blackpool 1
Pete Oliver at Britannia stadium

DESPITE such a massive prize on offer, no club seems able to seize control at the head of the Championship and secure promotion to the Premier League.

Stoke stayed top and within sight of a place in the top flight for the first time in almost a quarter of a century with six games to go, but must feel an opportunity passed them by as none of their immediate rivals for a top-two place could win either.

The kick-off at the Britannia Stadium was delayed for 30 minutes by the closure of the M6, which held up both referee Mike Pike and the Blackpool team.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis was upset by the disruption to his side’s preparations. “The referee turning up late and putting the game back was very unprofessional,” he said. “To come from Cumbria on an Easter Bank Holiday weekend and leave on the morning of the game amazes me. They get expenses so he wouldn’t be out of pocket.

“Our players were warming up for a three o’clock kick-off and then got pulled back in to have to sit in the dressing room for half an hour before warming up again. We never get pulled muscles at this club, but we lost Diao and Cort.”

Pulis fears Salif Diao may miss the rest of the season after tearing a hamstring nine minutes in, while Leon Cort played for 55 minutes before limping off with a calf strain. But Pulis added: “We are one point clear at Easter. It’s all in our own hands.”

Blackpool looked lively on the break and limited Stoke to few clear chances. They took the lead when Ben Burgess’s 20-yard volley went in off Cort on 36 minutes. Burgess returned the favour for Cort a minute into the second half when his misdirected clearance teed up the defender to score his eighth goal of the season.

The expected onslaught from Stoke failed to materialise, although Claus Jorgensen’s late clearance off the line denied Mamady Sidibe what would have been a crucial winner.

Star man: Ian Evatt (Blackpool)

Player ratings

Stoke: Nash 6, Griffin 7, Riggott 6, Cort 6 (Zakuani 53min), Pugh 6, Delap 6, Diao 5 (Wilkinson 9min, 6, Bothroyd 64min), Whelan 6, Gallagher 7, Sidibe 6, Cresswell 7

Blackpool: Rachubka 6, Barker 6, Evatt 8, Gorkss 6, Crainey 7, Taylor-Fletcher 5 (Holt 85min), Jorgensen 5, Flynn 6, Hoolahan 6, Burgess 6, McPhee 6 Scorers: Stoke:Cort 46 Blackpool: Burgess 36

Referee: M Pike Attendance:20,019

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Sentinel

22/03/2008 - Coca-Cola Championship: Stoke 1, Blackpool 1

Martin Spinks reports from the Britannia Stadium

STOKE clung on to their leadership of the Championship after Leon Cort played a part in both goals here at a typically tense Britannia Stadium this afternoon.

Cort was unlucky in deflecting a first-half shot past his keeper to leave Blackpool 1-0 up by the break.

But Stoke immediately levelled after the interval when Cort's close-range shot was deflected home to leave City in pole position to chase down another valuable victory.

But Cort's subsequent withdrawal with injury shortly afterwards was but one impediment preventing Stoke strengthening their position at the top of the league.

For a second week running there was more than the usual interest in Stoke's starting line-up as suspensions to Ryan Shawcross, Liam Lawrence and Ricardo Fuller forced three of the four changes to their first 11.

Mama Sidibe returned from injury to replace Jay Bothroyd in attack, while Danny Pugh, Salif Diao and, most intriguingly of all, Paul Gallagher were installed from the off.

Blackpool - whose late arrival because of an M6 accident had delayed the kick-off to 3.30 - decided to start with Nottingham Forest loanee Grant Holt on the bench by sticking with both Ben Burgess and former Port Vale striker Steve McPhee in attack.

Several short snow flurries had given way to bright spring sunshine by the time the game was launched with Diao driving one a yard or two over from just outside the area after barely 60 seconds of this afternoon's delayed fixture.

And it was City threatening again a couple of minutes later when both Sidibe and Chris Riggott challenged for Gallagher's right-wing free-kick to see the ball cannon off the outside of Blackpool's near post.

Wes Hoolahan's much-vaunted abilities were soon in evidence at the other end after Sidibe had relinquished possession, however, as he jinked and slipped wide for Gary Taylor-Fletcher to see his low cross superbly cut out by the diving Carlo Nash.

Diao's return lasted barely five minutes before he was limping around the perimeter to be eventually replaced by Andy Wilkinson ahead of an enforced reshuffle that saw the newcomer move to left back and Pugh to central midfield.

Stoke early momentum was visibly checked by those distractions as the visitors seized back some of City's early initiative.

And it was the Seasiders testing Nash in the 14th minute after Burgess flicked on for the free-running Claus Jorgensen to shoot firm but straight at the Stoke goalkeeper.

Nash was in far more trouble shortly afterwards when he was lured from his line to tangle with Hoolahan and lose out, but the winger's shot from a tight angle was easily dealt with by Cort on the City goal-line.

The action switched fiercely to the other end as the keeper's attempted clearance crashed off the approaching Sidibe to leave the ball floating promisingly towards the empty Blackpool goal, but Kaspars Gorkss beat Sidibe to the stray ball to head behind for a corner.

Stoke's gander remained firmly up as Richard Cresswell, enjoying a rare run out in attack, controlled with his back to goal before attempting a cheeky flick that Paul Rachubka coped with easily enough.

Cresswell was then appealing for a corner, or even a penalty, as his shirt was tugged when challenging for a left-wing corner flicked on to the back post by Riggott.

A period of untidy play, punctuated only by two instances of Andy Griffin's class defending, then ensued as neither side could impose itself fully on proceedings.

The visitors were enjoying notable passages of possession, without necessarily delivering an end product, as Stoke's more forceful approach conjured the kind of half chance that saw Delap narrowly fail to convert Gallagher's swinging left-wing cross to beyond the far post.

The head of Burgess remained a latent rather than potent threat as he continued to win just about anything flung in his direction in the final third to keep Stoke on their uppers at the back.

Stoke's best move thus far arrived on 36 minutes when a tidy five-man build-up climaxed with Gallagher's low drive forcing Rachubka to save to his right.

Play then ventured upfield as Stoke fell behind in unfortunate circumstances when Cort's unwitting intervention left his goalkeeper totally helpless.

Burgess - whose threat was suddenly potent rather than latent - saw an accurate effort flick off the unlucky Cort to divert the ball upwards and suddenly out of Nash's reach as it billowed the roof of the net in front of a startled Boothen End.

City's hopes of a possible breakaway were then stifled when Pugh flicked the ball round Jorgensen inside his own half and was promptly tripped to leave the Blackpool midfielder earning the day's first yellow card.

A more fruitful break upfield then saw Delap winning a right-wing corner from which Gallagher delivered too flat for Stoke to take any kind of advantage.

The home side enjoyed a lucky escape just before the break when a loose ball was allowed to drop inside a crowded area for Blackpool defender Ian Evatt to stretch and strike just wide as Nash dived desperately at his feet.

A 2-0 scoreline at the break really could have been curtains.

Wilkinson's wise play secured Stoke a left-wing corner early in the second half, from which City drew level amid curious circumstances, to say the least, inside a confused Blackpool area.

For the corner had wended its way to beyond the far post when Burgess, for reasons best known to himself, headed the ball back into the danger zone instead of out or away.

And Cort reacted quickest to hook goalwards and benefit from a deflection similar to the one he had provided for Blackpool's opener at the same end earlier in the afternoon.

Cort was then caught napping to concede a left-wing free-kick that was flung over quickly enough to catch Stoke unawares, but fortunately the ball reared up off the surface awkwardly enough for Taylor-Fletcher to steer his rushed header over the bar.

And the Seasiders were pressing again as a right-wing delivery was headed goalwards to leave Nash grabbing well to his right.

Cort's discomfort, as evident when conceding that free-kick, prompted his withdrawal and replacement by Gabriel Zakuani in the 53rd minute to complete an eventful start and finish to the stricken defender's second half.

Finally, a Delap throw caused problems as Riggott's header forced a scrambled clearance, but the ball was immediatley worked back into the danger zone for Sidibe to momentarily threaten to make contact before the advancing goalkeeper.

Tony Pulis played his final card in the 65th minute by substituting sub Wilkinson, allowing him to field three strikers by introducing Jay Bothroyd up front in a reshuffle that saw Pugh return to left-back.

Stoke were soon packing bodies in front of Rachubka again from a Delap throw, but this time Sidibe hooked wide off balance and with defenders encircling him.

The baton certainly appeared to be with Stoke, spurred on by that attacking substitution, and the crowd was warming to their improved efforts too.

Bothroyd's first contribution was to seize on some neat work down the right to dink one into the middle for Blackpool to head over their own bar under duress from Sidibe.

A mazy run by Hoolahan was a reminder of his largely dormant talent, but his final ball confounded his team-mates as much as the opposition to allow Nash to comfortably mop up.

Stoke were then penned in for a frustrating little spell to check their efforts to conjure that one moment of magic to transform one point into three.

Bothroyd briefly threatened to pull clear of a static Blackpool defence, but did win a corner which allowed Stoke to maintain a period of pressure on their visitors entering the last 10 minutes.

The game remained up for grabs as Riggott's headed clearance found Jorgensen for a speculative effort wide of Nash's left-hand upright.

Riggott was then taking aim at the other end after Sidibe's flick left him sizing up a possible pop from inside the Blackpool box, but Evatt dived in superbly to nick the ball off the toes of his opposite number.

And Evatt was back on the field after treatment just in time to stretch superbly to prevent Bothroyd's low right-wing cross being converted by Cresswell.

The ensuing corner was then headed goalwards by Sidibe - only for Jorgensen to head off the line at the far post.

Stoke's late pressure continued to amount to nought as a Sidibe flick on narrowly eluded the ever-willing Cresswell before being scooped up by Rachubka.



STOKE CITY 1 (Cort, 47)
BLACKPOOL 1 (Burgess, 37)

Stoke: Nash, Griffin, Pugh, Cort (Zakuani, 53), Riggott, Delap, Diao (Wilkinson, 9, Boothroyd 65), Whelan, Gallagher, Sidibe, Cresswell. Not used: Simonsen, Parkin.


Blackpool: Rachubka, Barker, Crainey, Evatt, Gorkss, Taylor-Fletcher (Holt, 86), Jorgensen, Flynn, Hoolahan, McPhee, Burgess. Not used: Coid, Morrell, Fox, Welsh.



Referee: M Pike (Cumbria)

Attendance: 20,019

Cards: Stoke - None. Blackpool - Jorgensen (foul, 40)

[daverichards]

Blackpool Citizen

Stoke City 1 Blackpool 1
By Mike Kewley
Comment | Read Comments (1)

Blackpool fought hard to gain a deserved point in their late kick-off at the Britannia Stadium, as Ben Burgess had an eventful afternoon.

The big striker put the visitors in the lead with his 37th minute goal, but was also at fault for Stoke's equaliser after he headed the ball back across his own goal, leaving Leon Cort with a tap-in.

How different it could have been if Sidibe's header had gone in four minutes into the game, instead of hitting the post. Not that all of the travelling fans will have caught that moment, however - a crash on the M6 had left the roads in chaos, meaning the game had to be delayed until 3.30.
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Once it finally got going it was a corker of a match that never let up, and what was most impressive was that Blackpool deserved their point, if not more.

With Shawcross, Lawrence and Fuller (so troublesome in the reverse fixture) all absent, the Seasiders went there to win and they made a good fist of it.

They went in at half time in the lead through the goal from Burgess. He linked up well with Gary Taylor-Fletcher and when the ball came back to him in the box he hit a shot cleanly with his left foot. The keeper would probably have saved it were it not for the deflection which took it the other way.

The lead was gone almost immediately after the restart with the scrappiest of goals. Stoke's 47th minute corner found only the head of Burgess, but the striker, who apparently had the sun in his eyes, could only head the ball back into the fray. Cort still made the finish look like hard work, bundling over the line.

It would be unfair to criticise Burgess after the work he put in. He comes in for some stick from the stands, often unfairly, but you can tell from watching them that opposing defenders just don't like playing against him. He causes serious problems for them and while he may not be Fernando Torres, he is effective in his own way.

What really earned Blackpool the point though was the stern defending, particularly that of Ian Evatt and Stephen Crainey, who both had near-perfect games. In the second half Stoke looked as though they simply wanted to get through this one in the absence of their big-hitters.

Hoolahan began to get into the game too, and most of Blackpool's play came down the left. It was the crossing that let them down, not quite finding the head of McPhee who got into good positions all afternoon.

Stoke are no mugs though and gave a reminder of their quality towards the end when another Sidibe header had to be cleared off the line by Claus Jorgensen.

This meant the travelling fans, who had provided most of the atmosphere in an otherwise quiet Britannia Stadium, left feeling grateful for the point. Yet on reflection Stoke were not on top form and Blackpool bossed the second half.

The biggest tribute to Grayson's men was the way that the Stoke players looked exhausted at the final whistle, bent double and clearly glad it was over.

Not to sound greedy, but it was another point that could have been three. Blackpool may not be completely safe yet then, but more performances like this and they soon will be.