Stoke City 0-1 Derby CountyRob Styles, the man who produced one of the worst refereeing displays of all time, all them years ago at Gillingham, the man who gave two penalties against us at Crystal Palace, the clown who has proved time and time again that Stevie Wonder is indeed more useful as a referee, has done it again to us.
The Potters crashed out of the Carling Cup tonight after referee Rob Styles stole the show in awarding Derby a controversial last minute penalty that was promptly dispatched by Nathan Ellington, as Stoke blew a massive chance to make the semi finals for the first time since winning the trophy back in 1972.
Stoke could have been ahead inside the first minute when Rory Delap just failed to connect with Mamady Sidibe's left wing cross, when free inside the area.
Both sides lacked creativity in the first half as neither keeper were really tested. But it was during the first half that the first real controversy of the game took place. Richard Cresswell, playing left wing, charged down a clearence, before slotting past Roy Carroll for what we thought was the opening goal, only to find out that Styles had in fact pulled play back for a handball.
As the second half began both sides looked to up the tempo, but it was Derby who had the bit between their teeth and should have taken the lead five minutes into the second half when Ellington produced an inviting cross which saw former Potter Kris Commons crash his header against the bar, before Rob Hulse somehow managed to head the rebound wide from six with an open goal in front of him.
It was Stoke's turn to attack next, Ricardo Fuller missed a glorious chance to open the scoring after he headed over when unmarked from six yards. With the clock ticking down Derby hung on as Carroll superbly tipped away Cresswell's header from a Glenn Whelan free kick before defender James Tomkins heroicly denied Fuller from the rebound.
Derby then came closest to breaking the deadlock when Miles Addison flicked a Commons corner against the post, with Ellington inches away from turning the ball home.
Carroll was again called into action when he smartly tipped away a curling 25 yard Whelan free kick as the game headed for extra time.
But it was time for Styles to take centre stage. Derby took a quick short corner that caught the Potters' defence unaware. The cross was charged down by Andy Griffin but Styles agree with protests from the Derby fans and awarded a penalty for handball. It was a 50/50 decision but whether it was a penalty or not, it was no more a 'handball' than Cresswell's had been in the first half. It was yet another example of how Styles treats touch and go decisions when Stoke are involved. Ellington kept his nerve and stroked away the penalty to send the 5000 travelling fans into raptures, as Stoke were once again left to ponder what might have been.
In all fairness Derby probably deserved the win, Stoke were just not at the races at all on a disappointing night. It's always a bitter pill to swallow when you lose in controversial circumstances with such a massive prize on offer. I'm sure all Stokies would rather see three points in Saturday's crucial game at St James' Park over a win tonight, but I fear this one is going to take some time to get over.
Man of the Match - Glenn Whelan - Top draw delivery from set pieces and was one of only a few Stoke players who actually looked a threat
Attendance - 22,034
Stoke: Simonsen, Griffin, Cort, Sonko, Higginbotham, Delap, Olofinjana (Pugh,81), Whelan, Cresswell, Sidibe, Fuller.
Derby: Carroll, Connolly, Powell, Tomkins, Stewart, Kazmierczak, Green (Teale,90), Addison, Commons, Hulse (Villa,86), Ellington.
2 comments:
Great Article, thought the criticism of Styles was well over-due, and a fair article for both teams.
was most likely a pen i think but he did have a terrible game
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