Source: Daily_Mail
Manchester City 1 Stoke City 1: Mancini fury as Delap throws City off course
Two hundred million pounds should be enough to stop a Rory Delaplong throw. But Manchester City's hapless players proved otherwise toleave their normally urbane manager Roberto Mancini more than a littleirritated. [LNB]Mancini, who needs a trophy to guarantee he is still in a job nextseason, must have thought he had one foot in the FA Cup quarter-finalswhen Shaun Wright-Phillips scored early on and Stoke suffered adevastating setback with star winger Matthew Etherington carried offwith a serious knee injury.[LNB] Then, Delap undid all the good work with one mighty chuck after 57minutes. Wright-Phillips, all 5ft 5in of him, laughingly jumped infront of the Stoke substitute to block the throw's trajectory. [LNB] Level pegging: Joleon Lescott looks aghast as Ricardo Fuller wheels away[LNB]Predictably, the ball sailed over his head into the danger zonewhere Shay Given remained rooted to his line and expensively-assembleddefenders Wayne Bridge, Kolo Toure, Pablo Zabaleta and Joleon Lescottstood like statues as Ricardo Fuller headed in from close range. [LNB]Former Manchester City manager Joe Royle looked away in disgust, declaring: 'Zonal marking at its worst.'[LNB] Mancini did not defend his players as Fuller continued his recordof scoring in every round this season. 'We had prepared for thisbecause we knew Stoke are dangerous from throw-ins. But our playerswere in a bad position and they scored,' said the Italian. [LNB]'It wasn't a fair result because we played well in the first halfand had four good chances. But when you don't score a second, it can bedangerous because Stoke are dangerous at every set-piece.' [LNB] A gift: Shaun Wright-Phillips is on hand to put City a goal to the good[LNB][LNB]Bridge alone could be exempt from criticism. In front of Englandcoach Fabio Capello, he showed why he was regarded as the naturalstand-in for Ashley Cole before the John Terry affair. He was capablein his defending, adventurous going forward and made a terrific blockto deny Liam Lawrence. [LNB]Even so, one has to admire Stoke's doggedness in the face ofadversity. After 11 minutes their defence failed to catchWright-Phillips offside as he raced on to a Stephen Ireland pass andprodded the ball past advancing goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen with mutedpower. [LNB] [LNB]In the hat: Roberto Mancini's City are in the draw for the sixth round[LNB] [LNB]Ryan Shawcross, chasing back, had time to hack it clearbut missedwith an air shot. He ran to the goal-line to cover, only to slip over.Comically, the ball hit him on the back of the head and dropped kindlyfor Wright-Phillips to tap in.[LNB]Things got worse for Stoke in the 13th minute when Etherington slipped as he went to challenge Bridge and was carried off with suspected medial ligament damage that might keep him out for two months.[LNB] 'Matty is going for a scan and we are a bit concerned,' said Stoke manager Tony Pulis. 'His studs got caught in the ground - we will have to wait and see.'[LNB] It took Stoke until half-time to re-organise but they gave a real scare to a Manchester team missing Carlos Tevez, in Argentina for the birth of his child. Only in the closing stages did the home side threaten again as Gareth Barry had a header saved and Roque Santa Cruz failed from six yards. [LNB]Mancini will now experience the raucous atmosphere of the Britannia in the Premier League on Tuesday and again in a Cup replay. 'It will be good for him,' laughed Pulis.[LNB][LNB]
