Premier League: Stoke City v Aston Villa full time report
Stoke 2 Aston Villa 1
Robert Huth’s stoppage time winner gave a typically battling Stoke their first points of the season as they came from behind to beat Aston Villa on an emotional night for boss Tony Pulis.
With Stoke 1-0 down, giant forward Kenwyne Jones was on hand to nod in a Matthew Etherington cross just 10 minutes from time, before Huth turned home another Etherington centre in the third and final minute of injury time.
Stewart Downing had stooped to impressively nod in a Gabriel Agbonlahor cross in the first period, before another Agbonlahor cross was headed wide by a completely unmarked Ashley Young.
Stoke were denied a first half penalty after James Collins handled, while Jones was thwarted by Brad Friedel either side of the break.
The points are Stoke’s first of the season, and was achieved against the most difficult of backdrops.
Both sides were without their managers to begin with, as Stoke boss Pulis was absent from the Britannia Stadium – initially at least – due to the death of his mother earlier in the day, while new Villa manager Gérard Houllier still has to see out his role as technical director of the French Football Federation before he can take up his new post. The home side were managed by Pulis’ assistant Dave Kemp, with caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald still taking the Villa reins.
It would be Kemp who would be happier with his side’s start, and after a concerted period of Stoke pressure, the lively Jones brought a good save out of Friedel after being played through by debutant Marc Wilson.
Villa saw long range efforts from Downing and the lively Marc Albrighton fail to seriously trouble Thomas Sørensen, before Jones again tested the alert Friedel from distance at the other end.
The game was starting to come to life largely thanks to Villa’s expansive wingers, and one of them was soon to provide a telling moment.
Agbonlahor had been quiet up until now, but as his 34th minute cross was aimed towards Downing at the back post, the Villa winger drifted past a hapless Huth and brilliantly directed a low diving header beyond Sørensen and in to the net off the post.
Stoke were soon appealing for a penalty at the other end for an apparent Collins handball, before Agbonlahor was at it again as, this time from the left flank, he directed yet another inch perfect cross that was somehow headed wide by a completely free Young. Collins later brought a good save from Sørensen after a corner wasn’t cleared.
Still Villa attacked, and Downing was denied by Sørensen before Young’s cross narrowly evaded everyone. Stoke must have been longing for half time. Mercifully for them, it wasn’t too long before it arrived.
It wasn’t long before Pulis made a shock arrival too, as the City boss surprisingly, and bravely came out for the second half after what must have been a very difficult day. He almost saw his team immediately level, but for Friedel to keep out Jones’ close range header.
The Welsh boss was desperately trying to improve his side’s fortunes, and soon sent on forward Ricardo Fuller and winger Jermaine Pennant – the latter for a Stoke debut – as he searched for a goal to level the scores, but it was Villa who came close next, as a Ryan Shawcross error allowed Nigel Reo-Coker in only for the midfielder to be beaten to the ball by Sørensen.
Stoke are nothing if not persistent though, and they were soon to have their equaliser.
Pressuring Villa in their own area, the hosts never allowed their opposition the time to get the ball clear, and when the ball reached Etherington, his pinpoint cross was headed into the net by the towering Jones, a just reward for all of the Trinidadian’s hard work.
Undeterred, Villa attacked, and only a superb block from Danny Collins denied Reo-Coker, before the sting in the tail arrived.
Etherington drove over another cross from the left, and defender Huth was on hand to turn home the most dramatic of winners from inside the six yard box.
It was the last kick of the game, and capped an emotional, draining night for the Stoke boss.
Presumably Pulis’ mother is smiling down on him.
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