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  • Beattie (14), Fuller (73)
  • Date:2009-03-04
  • Kick-off:19:45
  • Venue:Britannia Stadium
  • Attendance:26319
  • Referee:Dean, M

Live Commentary

90mins

STOKE 2-0 BOLTON.

90mins

Johan Elmander shows neat control to take the ball down and shoot on the turn but Sorensen saves and gives Bolton a corner.

90mins

Bolton win a corner which Taylor takes but its poor and Amady Faye clears for Stoke.

90mins

Four added minutes to play with Bolton pushing but causing few problems.

89mins

Gary Cahill takes a shot from the edge of the Stoke box but its off target.

88mins

Should have been three for Stoke, Samuel lost possession to Fuller who sets up Lawrence but Jaaskelainen produces a fine save.

87mins

Time is of the essence for Bolton now, Taylor pumps a long ball into the penalty area but Sorensen gathers easily for Stoke.

86mins

Stoke are already carrying Adboulaye Faye who looks too injured to play and now Shawcross is down injured as well, with all three substitutes already used.

84mins

Bolton win a free kick in a dangerous place on the left side after Gardner is fouled, Mark Davies curls the ball in and Kevin Davies headed the ball goalwards but Sorensen saves comfortably.

82mins

Liam Lawrence (Stoke) is booked for diving in the penalty area.

81mins

Makakula gets a shot away but his effort is poor and Stoke win a goal kick.

80mins

Gretar Steinsson is replaced by Ariza Makukula, it looks like Bolton are going to put three up front.

79mins

Lawrence sends in a wicked delivery from a corner kick which Sonko heads against the Bolton bar.

76mins

Andy O'Brien picks up his fourth booking of the season for a foul on Fuller.

75mins

That goal should be enough for Stoke now, as much possesion as Bolton have had they've just not created anything and Stoke have defended well.

73mins

STOKE 2-0 BOLTON. Delap's throws finally produce a goal, Glen Whelan unleashed a vicious shot goal-wards which Jaaskelainen parries but Ricardo FULLER buries the rebound from close range against the run of play.

72mins

Bolton corner, Mark Davies whips it in but Kevin Davies is judged to have fouled Adboulaye Faye and Stoke win a free kick.

70mins

Higginbotham sends a decent looking cross into the Bolton box but Jaaskelainen is alert and catches the cross.

67mins

Kevin Davies heads Taylor's corner into the Stoke goal but he is judged to have fouled Sorensen.

67mins

Bolton free kick after K Davies is fouled, M Davies takes the kick and Sorensen can only clear for a Bolton corner.

66mins

Salif Diao is replaced by Amady Faye for Stoke.

65mins

Andy Wilkinson (Stoke) receives a yellow card.

65mins

Fabrice Muamba is replaced by Ricardo Gardner for Bolton.

64mins

A nice one two between Wilkinson and Fuller is cut out by McCann who clears for a corner, Whelan takes the corner for Stoke but Jaaskelainen punches clear for Bolton.

59mins

Delap sends a long throw into the Bolton penalty area but the Bolton defence cope well and clear.

55mins

Mamady Sidibe is replaced by Ricardo Fuller for Stoke.

54mins

The second half is following a similar pattern to the first, plenty of Bolton possession but they just can't find a way through an extremely well organised Stoke side.

51mins

Steinsson crosses into the Stoke box but it's poor and Sorensen catches easily.

49mins

Kevin Davies takes a shot from 25 yards but his effort is well wide of the Stoke goal.

47mins

Taylor's corner looks promising but Elmander is judged to have fouled Sorensen and Stoke win a free kick.

47mins

Steinsson sends a wicked cross into the Stoke box but Sorensen punches clear, there is purpose about Bolton now and they've won a corner.

46mins

Bolton press from the off but Sorensen gathers the ball to clear the danger in the Stoke goal.

45mins

Bolton have gone 4-4-2 with Kevin Davies moving up front and Mark Davies moving to the right wing.

45mins

The second half is underway at the Britannia Stadium, neither side have made any changes.

45mins

STOKE 1-0 BOLTON.

45mins

Bolton win another free kick in a good position but it comes to nothing, the snow is really coming down on the Britannia Stadium and we're in the one minute of added time.

44mins

Samuel sends in a long throw into the Stoke penalty area but the defence clear.

43mins

The Bolton corner came to nothing but they retain possesion as the first half draws to a close.

43mins

Bolton win a free kick in a dangerous place, Taylor opts to shoot when it looked more suited for a cross but Bolton win a corner.

41mins

Stoke took the free kick quickly and Sidibe headed it in but the referee pulls it back, at the second attempt it goes for a Bolton goal kick.

41mins

A decision goes against Bolton and Muamba is judged to have commited a foul Bolton boss Gary Megson looks livid with the decision.

40mins

Another long throw from Delap, this time referee Mike Dean spots and infringement and awards Bolton a free kick in their own half.

37mins

Yet again Rory Delap throws the ball deep into the Bolton box but Jaaskelainen catches to clear the danger for Bolton.

36mins

Steinsson launches a long throw into the Bolton box, the ball goes out of play and Bolton appeal for a corner but Stoke are given a goal kick.

35mins

Stoke seeing the ball a lot more now and they've had a succession of throw ins in Delap range, Steinsson finally manages to clear for Bolton.

33mins

Lawrence's corner cause the Bolton defence to panic and Shawcross' headed shot goes just over the crossbar.

33mins

Lawrence takes a free kick and swings the ball into the Bolton box but Jaaskelainen clears for a Stoke throw, Delap takes the throw which A O'Brien clears for a corner.

31mins

Rory Delap swings a brilliant cross into the Bolton box but Jaaskelainen reacts quickly and picks the ball out of the air.

30mins

Still all Bolton but Stoke are not going to be easy to break down with the way they're defending.

28mins

Stoke free kick to the right hand side of the Bolton area, Lawrence takes and Higginbotham jumps highest to meet the cross but he heads over the Bolton crossbar.

26mins

Andy O'Brien sends in a long free kick into the Stoke penalty area, Davies manages to find Taylor who shoots straight at Sorensen.

24mins

Stoke have managed to get hold of the ball now and they're quite happy to just keep possesion rather than get forward.

21mins

Again Bolton in possesion deep in the Stoke half but they just can't work the ball through, Elmander tries a shot from a long way out but it sails over the crossbar.

20mins

Since the goal Bolton have been pretty much camped in the Stoke half but as yet they haven't had any clear cut chances.

17mins

Steinsson tries his own Delap impression but the Bolton mans throw in doesn't quite have the same effect, the ball falls to Elmander who flicks the ball goal-wards but it is well wide of the Stoke goal.

14mins

STOKE 1-0 BOLTON: Some very pedestrian defending from Bolton, James BEATTIE was unmarked in front of goal when the ball broke to him and he unleashed a sweet shot into the bottom corner giving Jaaskelainen no chance.

13mins

Delap's throws are going to cause some real problems, Jaaskelainen has just had to punch one away as if it were a corner kick but he was fouled in the process and Bolton win a free kick in their own box.

13mins

Mark Davies' corner is cleared by the Stoke defence.

12mins

Nice work from Davies and Taylor, Taylor's cross is met by Elmander but Sorensen makes a decent reflex save to clear for a corner.

11mins

Mark Davies takes Bolton's first shot of the game from range but there isn't enough power on the shot to beat Sorensen and he catches comfortably.

10mins

Gavin McCann tries to pick out Johan Elmander but Ryan Shawcross clears for Stoke.

7mins

Lawrence's corner is cleared by Muamba for Bolton.

7mins

Lawrence sends in a decent cross which Mark Davies clears for a Stoke corner.

6mins

Rory Delap launches another throw into the Bolton box but Jaaskelainen gathers.

4mins

Stoke win a throw and that man Rory Delap launches it into the Bolton penalty area but Matty Taylor clears for the Wanderers.

4mins

Stoke try a long ball up towards Sidibe but Cahill is there to clear the danger for Bolton.

3mins

Mark Davies swings in a free kick for Bolton but Sorensen gathers in the Stoke goal.

2mins

Bolton start a nice passing movement in midfield but Samuel loses control and the ball goes out of way for a Stoke throw in mid-way in their own half.

0mins

The game is underway at the Britannia Stadium.

0mins

Bolton manager Gary Megson has named an unchanged side from the team that beat Newcastle, with new captain Kevin Davies making his 200th appearance for the club.

0mins

Stoke make three changes from the side that drew 2-2 with Aston Villa on Sunday with Glenn Whelan, Abdoulauye Faye and Rory Delap coming in for Amdy Faye, Ibrahima Sonko and Danny Pugh respectively.

0mins

Bolton line up: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Andrew O'Brien, Samuel, Mark Davies, Muamba, McCann, Taylor, Kevin Davies, Elmander. Subs: Al Habsi, Gardner, Shittu, Smolarek, Puygrenier, Makukula, Basham.

0mins

Stoke line up: Sorensen, Wilkinson, Shawcross, Abdoulaye Faye, Higginbotham, Lawrence, Whelan, Diao, Delap, Sidibe, Beattie. Subs: Simonsen, Fuller, Pugh, Amdy Faye, Tonge, Camara, Sonko

Match Preview

Stoke City host Bolton Wanderers on Wednesday with the home side still on a high after Sunday's sunning comeback at Champions League-chasing Aston Villa.

Fourth-placed Villa were 2-0 up with less than five minutes to go, but goals from Ryan Shawcross and Glenn Whelan secured Stoke an unexpected but vital point.

Speaking after the game, manager Tony Pulis outlined exactly what affect the draw has had on the club.

"When John Carew scored, you think the game is over but we had five great chances in the second half and this is an important point for us," he said.

"Everyone outside Stoke thinks we are the team that will get relegated. But we think we're going to stay up so the pressure is on everyone else."

The Potters continue to battle on without January signing Matthew Etherington, who will be serving the final game of his three-match suspension on Wednesday.

Their other red card victim, Rory Delap, should return to the side after his suspension ended at the weekend, while Leon Cort is back in training after a groin strain.

Delap could be joined by Whelan in midfield if Pulis decides changes are needed, with Liam Lawrence, Danny Pugh and Amady Faye all under pressure.

Bolton manager Gary Megson could stick with the same side that beat Newcastle 1-0 on Sunday - a result that lifted them to tenth place, seven points above Stoke and the drop zone.

Midfielder Ricardo Gardner will feel he is deserving of a starting place, probably at the expense of Fabrice Muamba, after the Jamaican came off the bench to score on Sunday.

The other possible change is a return for on-loan defender Sebastien Puygrenier who, after playing in the 2-1 win over West Ham, was replaced by Andrew O'Brien on Sunday.

"It's not about match-fitness with Seb, it's sharpness," conceded Megson, who also suggested that a permanent deal for the on-loan Zenit St Petersburg centre-back could happen over the summer.


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Match Report

Stoke City stormed out of the relegation zone as goals by their top marksmen James Beattie and Ricardo Fuller ensured Bolton's first visit to the Britannia Stadium ended in defeat.

This was very much a heavyweight contest in terms of physical strength and the visitors were more than willing to slug it out in a toe to toe battle.

And Bolton created the first chance in the 11th minute when Johan Elmander slid in to meet Matt Taylor's cross and force an acrobatic stop from Thomas Sorensen.

But it was a touch of finesse from Glenn Whelan and a square Wanderers defence which led to Stoke taking the lead three minutes later.

Whelan's slide-rule pass was all it took to send Beattie galloping clear and he gave the onrushing Jussi Jaaskelainen no chance with a well-placed shot.

Bolton responded with a typically powerful shot by Taylor which Sorensen was very pleased to clutch to his chest.

And then Stoke hit back in kind with the long throws of Rory Delap - back in the team after a three-match ban - and successive corners by Liam Lawrence applying strong pressure.

Abdoulaye Faye headed over from a Lawrence free-kick as City pressed for a second before half-time in what continued to be a bruising encounter.

But with the snow now driving down, Taylor's 25-yard effort forced Sorensen into another diving stop at the end of the opening 45 minutes.

Bolton also started the second half with attacking intent and Tony Pulis brought on Fuller for the out-of-sorts Mamady Sidibe in the 56th minute.

Fuller was soon swapping passes with Andy Wilkinson before the full-back's 20-yard free-kick was deflected wide for a corner.

But the visitors continued to hold the upper hand until Fuller put Stoke in the comfort zone 17 minutes from time.

The Bolton defence failed to deal with Delap's umpteenth long throw of the night and after Jaaskelainen had parried Whelan's shot, Fuller cracked the rebound into the roof of the net.

Substitute Ibrahima Sonko almost added a third when his 80th minute header crashed against the bar following a Lawrence corner.

But that would have been tough on Bolton who kept going until the end as Sorensen made another fine save to keep out a 20-yard volley from Elmander.

Stoke City

Bolton Wanderers

Corners

76

Fouls

1614

Goal attempts

1112

Shots off target

43

Offsides

20

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