Finally back from Chalke (Stoke) Travelodge. Parked next to another town fan, hello whoever you are.
The monkey place was good.
Saw TalkTalk in the Stoke Harvester, maybe he kicked off the trouble with his machete
Anyway what a night. Got to the ground just after 7, one section was already full and one was getting there. It was pretty obvious they'd not predicted such a big walk up crowd. So for the first few minutes were spent with the faithful walking along the front row of our block to get beyond the Bet 365 banner. Thankfully they opened up the overspill section properly and the Bet 365 banner took a battering after one of our goals.
What a first half, the expected chalk and cheese style clash was evident. Ours was to try an keep the ball, pass it and damage them with movement and pressure. Theirs was get it wide and wang it into the box. And to be fair we were let of a couple of times as Jones and other striker wasted golden chances. Maybe it was to be out night.
As the half went on we looked pretty good with out passing game. We were working pretty hard too to try and limit crosses into the box. Jones is a bloody beast, far more of a physical handful than say Crouch, but thankfully their front two didn't click at all.
The same can not be said for ours. They were hasteling, harrying and giving Upson (21 England caps) and his partner a torrid time. Signal-1 the local Stoke station picked it up on their post match analysis - that we kept the ball and played it with purpose - we hassled them all over while Stoke went too long in an aimless way.
I guess you've heard and or seen the goals by now, but we were a tad fortunate thanks to Sørensen on the first. In fact Sorensen had a mare in goal. Not only did he give us the first, but also nearly got charged down a couple of times, had dodgy kicking and was generally a bit crap (Wes kicking wasn't 100% yesterday either, but his were 'out of play' miskicks rather than anything dangerous).
So while Stoke will point to missed opportunities we should really have had more than the two at half time. Another highlight of the night was the chap in the front row of the overflow section, celebrated our first goal and accidentally hit his girlfriend in the kisser.
After the break the home side started to pressure more. They scored after about 60 minutes (?) and then we were under increasing pressure. It wasn't backs to the wall exactly but you could feel it coming. That said we had a couple of our own - De Vita's only miss-controlled ball was one that with a better first touch would have seen him with a shot on goal. William shot when he should have crossed and crossed when he should have shot has already been mentioned (or was it Collins?!).
In any case, on came the big guns, and the equaliser 5 minutes from time and seemingly our chance had gone. The Stoke fans woke up a bit, mainly to mimic PDCs arm waving and I think met with chants of "Are you Wenger in disguise".
The full time whistle was a relief, we were under the cosh and had made it to extra time. I didn't fancy our chances but I'd go home with my head held high and a smile on my face. Proud of the effort.
But that's not what happened exactly. Flint went and scored from a corner. And Karma paid a visit as I bent down to hug my son he jumped up and whacked me in the jaw with the top of his head. The bruise is appearing now.
I was confident we would hold out now. Especially when Stoke went down to 10 after an injury to one of their players having used all three subs. Our passing game returned and we looked dangerous as we used the space.
But no, a breakaway from Walters and a peach of a cross to Freak made it 3-3. Someone a couple of rows behind half mentioned it looked like Wes could have done better. I don't think so myself, just a quality goal. Oh well, the lotteries of penalties will be no disgrace.
Except it wasn't pens. McEverly was sparked out following a clash of heads. On came Thomson. A lot to ask for a young man. Except he was a young man possessed - I can pay no greater compliment than to say I am not sure what else he could do to play better in his cameo.
I'll be honest, the winner is a bit of a blur. I think Ritchie was in there, and the ball got to the far post, and the hapless Sorensen flapped at it but it was in. And that sent me celebrating like, well like when Macca scored the last minute winner at Nothampton on Boxing day. And that was the end of the match.
Except it wasn't. The bastard ref slowed down time and we had to survive two Stoke corners, the latter with the keeper up. I got flashbacks of Robinson at Leeds. Thankfully we survived. Unlike Stoke.
I'm not going to do player ratings. I though Ritchie showed he can step up a league. I thought the front two were tireless and superb. I thought everybody else had great games, Devera stepping into right back did really well (wish he was a bit quicker, thats all
). I can see that if DiCanio's "way" means this kind of performance more often then I should shut the fuck up about Caddis.
