Peter Crouch eyes goals glut for Stoke after winner at Fulham



The 34-year-old underwent groin surgery during the summer before suffering a setback in his rehabilitation and has yet to start in the Barclays Premier League for the Potters this season.

He was in the starting XI at Craven Cottage on Tuesday evening where his first-half goal was enough to see Stoke into the fourth-round draw with a 1-0 win over the Championship outfit.

Manager Mark Hughes said after the game that Crouch still has a big role to play at the Britannia Stadium, and the former England forward now wants to do his bit in helping Stoke turn around their stuttering start to the season and pick up a first league win against Bournemouth on Saturday.

"I'm very pleased to be back playing again really," Crouch told Stoke City Player

"It was my first 90 minutes since last season, so I'm pleased to have come through that and cap it off with the winning goal.

"We had to dig in and we had to be defensively solid as a whole team and I thought to a man we were exactly that as well

It's all about getting the result, and now hopefully I can play more and get more goals for Stoke City."

Looking ahead to Bournemouth, Crouch said: "It is another tough game, but it's a home fixture and we need to start getting points on the board, It's important we do that and I think Bournemouth will give us a tough test because they have started the season very well."

Fulham provided a stern examination of a Stoke side that showed eight changes from their draw with Leicester at the weekend, and Kit Symons' men came close to taking the game into extra time.

Dan Burn saw an injury-time shot come back off the crossbar just moments after Lasse Vigen Christensen had brought a superb save out of Shay Given with a close-range effort.

The Denmark Under-21 international was one of the players to make an impact for the hosts and wants Fulham to take the confidence from the tie into their west London derby against QPR on Friday night in the Sky Bet Championship.

"It was typical cup game and we gave it a right go," Christensen said.

"It just would not go in for us but there are a lot of positives to take

We got the crowd going and that is important going into the game on Friday.

"Even though we did not get a result, there is a lot to take from it

Even though they made some changes they are a good Premier League side and it was a good test to see where we are as a team.

"Playing QPR is one of those games that you look forward to playing in

It is really important game for us and for them as well

Both clubs are in the Championship and fighting to go back up again

For us and the fans it is a really big game

If we come out with that same energy on Friday the fans will be right behind us."

Source : PA

Source: PA