|
|
Post by Lakeland Potter on Dec 30, 2007 6:31:49 GMT
The Times
From The Sunday TimesDecember 30, 2007
Russell Hoult off as Stoke escape
Plymouth 2 Stoke 2Neil Parkinson at Home Park
IT IS not often that a player is regarded as a hero for being sent off, but that was the case for Russell Hoult, who averted what looked a certain winner for Plymouth by committing a professional foul to prevent Sylvan Ebanks-Blake from scoring, earning himself a red card on 82 minutes.
Tony Pulis, the Stoke manager, did not disguise his approval of Hoult’s action. “Russell did smashing and he had to do that, but we are disappointed because we were ahead twice,” said Pulis.
Paul Sturrock, the Argyle manager, was left frustrated, as he felt Ebanks-Blake would have secured victory for the hosts. “In my mind Sylvan was going to go around him and it was a goal, so we have lost an opportunity there,” he said.
“I don’t know how you can change the rules. I don’t think we really benefited from the decision, but I would hope my goalkeeper would do exactly the same in the same situation.”
Argyle had twice equalised through Ebanks-Blake and Krisztian Timar, and Ebanks-Blake nearly hit a spectacular winner when his overhead kick was met with a diving save by Steve Simonsen, Hoult’s replacement, in stoppage time.
Stoke boss Tony Pulis was familiar with some of the Argyle players from his brief spell in charge last year, and Plymouth rolled out the welcome mat by gifting the visitors an eighth-minute opener. Rory Delap launched a long throw-in from the left that Romain Larrieu, the Argyle goalkeeper, failed to collect and, after Marcel Seip cleared off the line, Richard Cresswell fired home from inside the six-yard box.
Ricardo Fuller came close for Stoke after neatly weaving his way through a statuesque Argyle defence, side-stepping Larrieu only to thenhit the goalkeeper’s right-hand post with an empty goal at his mercy on 31 minutes.
Argyle levelled a minute before the interval. Ryan Shawcross, on loan from Manchester United, was judged to have handled a shot from Lee Martin, also on loan from Old Trafford. Ebanks-Blake, a former United reserve, netted the rebound after Hoult had blocked his penalty.
Stoke went back in front on 57 minutes when Lawrence’s corner was headed home by Shawcross. It was another goal that raised questions about the solidity of Argyle’s defence.
But, from another corner, Argyle were level when Halmosi’s delivery was met emphatically by fellow Hungarian Krisztian Timar with a brave header on 67 minutes.
Argyle were on the back foot for much of the second half, but the game changed when Hoult raced from his penalty area to scythe down Ebanks-Blake and earn Stoke a point.
Star man: Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (Plymouth)
Plymouth: Larrieu 5, Hodges 6, Timar 6, Seip 7, Connolly 6, Halmosi 7, Nalis 6, Norris 7 (Abdou 79min), Martin 6, Easter 6, Blake 8
Stoke City: Hoult 7, Wilkinson 6 (Zakuani 45min, 6), Pugh 7, Cort 7, Shawcross 7, Lawrence 7, Eustace 6, Delap 7, Cresswell 7, Sidibe (Parkin 60min, 6 (Simonsen 80min)), Fuller 7
Scorers: Plymouth: Ebanks-Blake 44, Timar 67
Stoke: Cresswell 8, Shawcross 57
Referee: S Tanner
Attendance: 15,692
|
|
|
|
Post by Lakeland Potter on Dec 30, 2007 6:34:59 GMT
TEAMtalk
Spoils shared in Home Park thriller
Stoke blew the chance to go second in the Championship after Plymouth Argyle twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw in a Home Park thriller.
City took the lead through Richard Cresswell with just eight minutes on the clock but, after Ryan Shawcross was penalised for handball in the dying stages of the first half, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake produced the equaliser at the second attempt after Russell Hoult had saved his penalty kick.
Shawcross then gave City the lead again 12 minutes into the second half, but Krisztian Timar equalised.
Hoult - making his league debut for Stoke - was sent off late on but the home side could not fashion a winner.
The free-scoring Potters went into the game on the back of an eight-game unbeaten run, and it took only eight minutes for them to open the scoring.
Rory Delap's long throw-in caused problems in the home defence and Cresswell steered the ball home from six yards.
Hoult had earlier been called into the action to deal with a dangerous cross by Peter Halmosi, who then tried his luck from close range only for the goalkeeper to again snuff out the threat.
David Norris tried to restore parity after 25 minutes but could only fire wide from the edge of the penalty area while, a minute later, the same player forced a save from Hoult from 12 yards.
Ebanks-Blake had a shot from 12 yards well blocked by Shawcross, before City went close to making it 2-0 against the run of play.
Ricardo Fuller had barely had a kick until this point, but the striker rounded Romain Larrieu before striking the post with his resulting left-footed effort.
Then, as half-time approached, Ebanks-Blake produced a spectacular overhead kick that Hoult did well to keep hold of.
However, Plymouth did find the equaliser their pressure deserved after 43 minutes, although there was an element of luck about it.
Shawcross was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area and, although Hoult did fantastically well to parry Ebanks-Blake's spot kick, the former Manchester United junior followed up and found the net with his second attempt from six yards.
Stoke started the second half with a bang and, after Liam Lawrence had forced a good save from Larrieu, they went in front again.
After conceding the equalising penalty, Shawcross went from zero to hero by heading in Lawrence's right-wing cross from close range with 54 minutes gone.
However, back came Argyle, and they levelled for the second time midway through the second half when Halmosi sent over a corner from the right and Timar headed into the net from six yards.
There was more drama to come when, with nine minutes remaining, Ebanks-Blake went clean through and was brought down by Hoult, at the expense of a red card.
Substitute goalkeeper Steve Simonsen, who had previously made 108 succcessive league appearances, came on for Jon Parkin, and was relieved to see Halmosi clear the crossbar with the resulting free-kick.
Ebanks-Blake then had a late chance to win it, but his overhead kick was parried to safety by Simonsen.
|
|
clan2
Youth Player
Posts: 484
|
Post by clan2 on Dec 30, 2007 11:29:47 GMT
Sporting Life
Plymouth 2 Stoke 2
Promotion hopefuls Stoke had goalkeeper Russell Hoult sent off late on as they shared four goals in a highly-entertaining Championship clash with Plymouth at Home Park.
City took the lead through Richard Cresswell with just eight minutes on the clock but, after Ryan Shawcross was penalised for handball in the dying stages of the first half, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake produced the equaliser at the second attempt after Hoult had saved his penalty kick.
Shawcross then gave City the lead again 12 minutes into the second half, but Krisztian Timar equalised.
Hoult - making his league debut for Stoke - was sent off late on but the home side could not fashion a winner.
The free-scoring Potters went into the game on the back of an eight-game unbeaten run, and it took only eight minutes for them to open the scoring.
Andy Wilkinson's throw-in caused problems in the home defence and Cresswell steered the ball home from six yards.
Hoult was called into the action early to deal with a dangerous cross by Peter Halmosi, who then tried his luck from close range only for the goalkeeper to again snuff out the threat.
David Norris tried to restore parity after 25 minutes but could only fire wide from the edge of the penalty area while, a minute later, the same player forced a save from Hoult from 12 yards.
Ebanks-Blake had a shot from 12 yards well blocked by Shawcross, before City went close to making it 2-0 against the run of play.
Ricardo Fuller had barely had a kick until this point, but the striker swung his left foot from 12 yards and was unlucky to see the ball strike the post.
Then, as half-time approached, Ebanks-Blake produced a spectacular overhead kick that Hoult did well to keep hold of.
However, Plymouth did find the equaliser their pressure deserved after 43 minutes, although there was an element of luck about it.
Shawcross was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area and, although Hoult did fantastically well to parry Ebanks-Blake's spot kick, the former Manchester United junior followed up and found the net with his second attempt from six yards.
Stoke started the second half with a bang and, after Liam Lawrence had forced a good save from Romain Larrieu, they went in front again.
After conceding the equalising penalty, Shawcross went from zero to hero by heading in Lawrence's right-wing cross from close range with 54 minutes gone.
However, back came Plymouth, and they levelled for the second time midway through the second half when Halmosi sent over a corner from the right and Timar headed into the net from six yards.
There was more drama to come when, with nine minutes remaining, Ebanks-Blake went clean through and was brought down by Hoult, at the expense of a red card.
Substitute goalkeeper Steve Simonsen came on for Jon Parkin, and was relieved to see Halmosi clear the crossbar with the resulting free-kick.
Ebanks-Blake then had a late chance to win it, but his overhead kick was parried to safety by Simonsen.
Teams
Plymouth Larrieu, Connolly, Timar, Seip, Hodges,Martin (Abdou 73), Norris, Nalis, Halmosi, Ebanks-Blake, Easter.
Subs Not Used: Hayles, Doumbe, Fallon, Sawyer.
Booked: Norris.
Goals: Ebanks-Blake 44, Timar 67.
Stoke Hoult, Wilkinson (Zakuani 46), Cort, Shawcross, Pugh,Lawrence, Eustace, Delap, Cresswell, Fuller,Sidibe (Parkin 60), Parkin (Simonsen 82).
Subs Not Used: Pulis, Dickinson.
Sent Off: Hoult (82).
Booked: Fuller.
Goals: Cresswell 8, Shawcross 57.
Att: 13,692
Ref: Steve Tanner (Somerset
|
|
|
|
Post by tazi on Dec 30, 2007 21:38:03 GMT
Thanks for those reports Fornside/clan2
|
|
