Source: Daily_Mail
Stoke 1 Man City 0: Beattie the hero after Delap sees red at the Britannia
Stoke[LNB]had Rory Delap sent-off, but still produced a remarkable victory over Manchester City[LNB].[LNB] Delap was red-carded for a clash with Shaun Wright-Phillips in the first-half, which should have been the cue for Manchester City to take over.[LNB] Instead James Beattie's headed goal in first-half injury time gave Stoke the platform to produce a brave rearguard action and claim their first home league win since November.[LNB]Ricardo Fuller returned to the Stoke starting line-up for the first time since his suspension for a bust-up with Andy Griffin at West Ham in December.[LNB]He replaced striker Richard Cresswell, while Danny Pugh came into the side in place of Danny Higginbotham, who picked up calf and ankle injuries in the midweek defeat at Spurs.[LNB] Glove affair: Manchester City's Robinho gestures during the clash with Stoke [LNB]Manchester City, with a four-match unbeaten league run, fielded the same side that beat Newcastle in midweek and which now includes seven new signings in the Mark Hughes regime at a cost of £93m.[LNB]Hughes will be hoping to add two more to his squad in Shay Given and Roque Santa Cruz before the transfer window closes on Monday.[LNB] On a raw day in the Potteries, Manchester City's Robinho ignored the biting cold to produce his array of skills.Back-heels, step-overs and crisp passing were on show from the start, as well as an angled chip that almost deceived Thomas Sorensen.[LNB] Pain game: Amdy Faye lies injured following a clash of heads[LNB]But it was City stalwart Stephen Ireland who should have scored early on when he volleyed wide from the edge of the box while unmarked. Stoke were competitive though and Fuller's surge down the right produced a powerful cross and a sharp interception from Joe Hart. After 19 minutes Brazilian Robinho wasted a glorious chance when City broke from defending a corner to put together a high-speed passing move that created the chance, which was mis-hit straight into Sorensen's hands.[LNB] Off day: Stoke's Rory Delap (No24) is sent off by referee Martin Atkinson[LNB]Stoke worked hard to get the visitors onto the back foot, and from Rory Delap's fourth towering throw, Ryan Shawcross got in a header that just cleared the bar.Then Matthew Etherington got away on the left and fired in a dangerous cross that Fuller could not turn on quickly enough to get in a telling shot.Another searching Delap throw after 28 minutes saw Shawcross manage a clever back-flick that almost caught out Hart, who pulled it down at the last second.Amdy Faye needed lengthy treatment after a clash of heads with Nedum Onuoha.The game erupted after 37 minutes when Delap was sent off by referee Martin Atkinson.Shaun Wright-Phillips had produced a debatable lunging tackle on Etherington that went unpunished.[LNB] Head boy: James Beattie scores the winning goal[LNB] [LNB]As Wright-Phillips moved away with the ball, Delap chased him and tripped the winger from behind, compounding the offence by appearing to kick the ball at the grounded England winger.Manchester City players were incensed. Bellamy and Pablo Zabaleta rushed to the scene, and TV replays suggested that Wright-Phillips had swung a leg in retaliation at Delap. But it was only the Irish international who was sent off.The Britannia stadium was now a cauldron of resentment as Stoke fans howled their anger at the West Yorkshire official and Wright-Phillips.But Stoke responded superbly when they took the lead in the fourth of five added first-half minutes when James Beattie headed home an Etherington cross.[LNB] Making a point: City's new striker Craig Bellamy[LNB]Stoke, who had sent on Cresswell for Fuller at the interval, were under instant pressure in the second half.City then took off Zabaleta and sent on Elano, whose first involvement was a 56th-minute booking for a trip on Etherington.Stoke were now defending in depth and Robinho was finding it increasingly difficult to have an impact.Bellamy volleyed wide on the turn and Robinho saw a long-range drive curl away.Stoke were defending resolutely and City were becoming increasingly frustrated.[LNB]Robinho skied another effort over as City toiled away. Felipe Caicedo came on for Nigel de Jong, but the visitors were not creating anything.Stoke continued to battle away and Griffin replaced Amdy Faye as the time ticked away. Another Robinho effort flashed yards wide with the Stoke crowd now roaring on their 10 men.Etherington was withdrawn to allow another defender, Ibrahima Sonko into the battle.Micah Richards went tumbling in the box, but despite heated City claims for a penalty, none was forthcoming.[LNB] [LNB]
