Match report: Stoke City Vs Watford

by Richard Randle

Stoke City proved their credentials for a play-off place by drawing with table-toppers Watford at the Britannia Stadium on 9^th December.

In an entertaining game, it was the Potters who looked most likely to break the deadlock, with Ricardo Fuller a constant threat in the box.

But it was Watford who started the game strongest, with Marlon King searing through the Stoke defence, only to be met by Leon Cort.

Thereafter it was all Stoke, with Fuller and the impressive Liam Lawrence linking up well.

Fuller drilled his way past several defenders to find no one available in the box, with the ball collected by Watford keeper Richard Lee.

Stoke kept pressing, and were denied a seemingly clear penalty shout towards the end of the half after Lawrence went down, but the referee waved play on.

After the break City continued to threaten the Watford defence, who seemed to struggle with Stoke’s imposing front-line.

However Lee was in good form, and was on hand to deny the Potters several times with some fine saves, one being on the line from Fuller.

And it was Fuller who should have won the game for Stoke at the death. Through on goal, he only needed to lift the ball over the stricken ‘keeper, but instead fired straight at his legs.

Worryingly for the Potters, Steven Wright was stretchered off deep into injury time after sustaining a boot in the face.

With the Stoke squad down to bare bones, it was a setback Tony Pulis could have done without.

But Pulis will be pleased to see that his team is able to match the top sides in the Championship, and with Stoke only six points off top spot, a couple of astute signings in the January transfer window could see automatic promotion become a real possibility.