Graham Dorrans hit a last minute winner as West Bromwich Albion ended their miserable run at Stoke with a dramatic 2-1 victory on Saturday.
The Baggies had lost 13 games and drawn five of their previous 18 visits to Stoke, but they finally returned home with a crucial three points thanks to two mistakes from Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen.
Sorensen allowed a tame shot from James Morrison to creep past him in the first half, and after Cameron Jerome equalised in the 86th minute, the Danish goalkeeper was beaten from long-range by Dorrans' stoppage-time free-kick.
Roy Hodgson's side are now seven points clear of the relegation zone, while Stoke remain in mid-table.
Jerome Thomas caused Stoke problems early on and picked out Simon Cox just inside the area with a delightful pull back, only for the Republic of Ireland forward to slice his shot horribly wide.
Moments later Morrison tested Sorensen with a long-range effort that the goalkeeper tipped onto the bar at full stretch.
Morrison tried his luck again in the 35th minute and this time he scored thanks to Sorensen's poor handling.
The Scotland midfielder struck a 30-yarder directly at Sorensen and although it swerved slightly, the Dane should still have stopped it trickling through his grasp into the net.
Stoke striker Peter Crouch was fortunate to avoid a red card after his right hand came in contact with Jonas Olsson's face.
Fortunately for Crouch the incident was missed by referee Anthony Taylor.
Sorensen was beaten again by Morrison in the second half, only for the Scot's shot to strike a post.
Stoke had a golden opportunity to equalise when Taylor awarded a penalty after Jon Walters ran into Gareth McAuley.
But Walters' spot-kick struck the left knee of Ben Foster and rebounded to safety.
Stoke boss Tony Pulis sent on Jerome in the closing stages and the move appeared to be a masterstroke when he glanced Jermaine Pennant's right-wing free-kick beyond Foster in the 86th minute.
But in the first minute of injury time Sorensen was guilty of allowing Dorrans' long-range free-kick to flash past him into his bottom left-hand corner as Albion stole the points.
Source: AFP
