London: Stoke City striker Kenwyne Jones helped his side claim a valuable away point and put the dampers on Norwich City's party after defender Richie De Laet had scored the first goal for the Carrow Road side on their return to the top flight.
The Carrow Road side had keeper John Ruddy to thank after the former Everton stopper saved his side on numerous occasions, including a second half penalty which had seen his side go down to ten men.
The home side started off the better of the two, backed by a full house on their return to the top flight of English football, while their opponents looked sluggish early on, as the exerts of their midweek trip to Switzerland against FC Thun looked to have caught up with Tony Pulis's side as they failed to find a creative spark.
Within eight minutes the home support, bedecked in their yellow and green replica shirts were out of their seats, calling for a penalty as Leon Barnett went down under a challenge from Robert Huth inside the box, but referee Neil Swarbrick wasn't interested in the cries for a spot kick.
Two minutes later Elliott Bennett swung a cross field ball for the Canaries, right on the feet of Anthony Plikington on the left wing, but unfortunately for the wide man, his cross ball was cleared by the Stoke defence and out for a corner.
Next up to have a go for Paul Lambert's side was Bradley Johnson, who received the ball after Stoke have failed to clear the ball properly three times, allowing the former Leeds United midfielder to get a strike off from just outside the area, which was deflected by a Potters defender for a corner.
The home side continued to pepper the Stoke penalty area, with Bennett once again swinging the ball into the box for Grant Holt, allowing the Norwich striker to find Pilkington on the left edge of the area and he attempted to find Chris Martin, but he couldn't connect with the ball to put the Canaries into a well-deserved lead.
Just before the half hour mark the visitors finally got the first real shot on goal as Matthew Etherington raced down the left wing, beating full back Kyle Naughton, before smashing the ball towards goal, but unfortunately for the winger John Ruddy managed to palm the ball away and the Norwich defence cleared it to safety.
Pulis's side were dealt a blow minutes later, as influential winger Jermaine Pennant, who had picked up an injury during the warm-up, pulled up and had to be replaced by Danny Pugh.
Things then went from bad to worse for the Stoke manager as Jonathan Woodgate gave away a free kick for a clumsy foul on the right wing, which the former Tottenham centre half found himself yellow carded for.
Johnson then swung the free kick in from the right hand side onto the head of the onrushing De Laet, who from just inside the area directed the ball into the bottom left hand corner of the Stoke net, beyond the reach of the outstretching Asmir Begovic in the Potters goal.
Woodgate could have put his side further behind just before the half time break as Bennett crossed from the right wing towards the Norwich frontmen in the penalty box, the Stoke defender slid in and diverted the ball just wide of the post for a corner.
Stoke boss Pulis clearly had some harsh words for his side during the break as they came out of the traps flying, with firstly a long ball that landed at the feet of Kenwune Jones, but before the striker could get his shot off the ball was cleared, but only to the feet of Pugh, who from the left hand side of the box blasted the ball over the bar.
Then it was the turn of former Ipswich striker Jonathan Walters, who received the on the right, but he couldn’t find a way past the Norwich defence in order to get a shot at Ruddy in the home side’s goal.
The Stoke pressure didn't affect Lambert's side, as they went straight up the other end of the park, with a flowing passing move landing at the feet of Chris Martin on the edge of the area, with the Norwich striker turning away from his marker and firing off a shot which Begovic palmed away from danger.
Just before the clock ticked over to an hour gone Stoke had a great chance to get level as Holt gave away a free kick on the edge of the area, allowing Etherington the chance to step up and float the set piece towards the top corner of the Norwich goal, but Ruddy was more than equal to the chance, tipping the ball over for a corner to the visitors.
Then minutes later Stoke were handed another golden opportunity to get level as Walters raced towards the box, getting on the wrong side of Barnett and with the striker approaching the box the defender caught him and referee Swarbrick decided to award a penalty and sent off Barnett.
Walters then got up and stepped up to take the spot kick, but he couldn’t find a way past Ruddy who went down to his left and saved the ball, which was then eventually cleared by the Norwich defence.
That red card meant that Lambert was forced into a reshuffle, with midfielder Pilkington having to be sacrificed in favour of new signing Daniel Ayala, who joined from Liverpool during the week and was forced into action for the ten man Canaries.
With less than ten minutes left in the game Stoke had two chances to get back on level terms, as first substitute Ryan Shotton had a cross from the right wing, which was deflected towards Ruddy’s goal, but the keeper managed to stretch a hand and put it out for a corner.
From that corner Huth had another chance to score as the ball came along the box and as the German defender slid in he couldn’t make contact and was forced to watch on in agony as the ball went out of play.
Jones was next to have a chance for the visitors, as a cross from the right wing arrived at the feet of the striker just outside the six yard box, but his poor effort went straight into the Norwich fans behind Ruddy's goal.
Then deep into injury time Stoke got the goal they were looking for as the ball was floated into the box allowing Jones to out jump the home defence and put the ball into the corner of the net to claim a point from their visit to Carrow Road.
Comments
0 comment