Min by min updates: Birmingham v Stoke

Last updated : 22 August 2009 By Dan Buxton

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FT: Stoke huffed and puffed but couldn't get the crucial goal. I'm now going to collect my £50.46 accumulator winning

89 min: Stoke are really pushing on. Cross after cross cleared. Marshall has scored for Northampton late on. Four minutes indicated.

83 min: Stoke well on top,. pinning back the Brummies for long, long periods. Fuller, Lawrence and Delap all looking dangerous whilst Wilkinson with a prefectly timed tackle at the other end stopped Benitez getting in one-on-one on the break.

76 min: Whitehead on for Etherington

75 min: Delap long throw Fuller comes steaming in but leads with hands and knock ball into the net with his fist. Referee Foy books the striker

Attendance: 21,694

69 min: Lovely cross from the left by Lawrence. Kitson gets in front of his marker but nods ball inches wide of far post. That first goal is getting nearer 

67 min: Whelan picks up the first booking of the game for dissent

63 min: Larsson, just on as sub, curls in a free kick, O'Connor heads in. looks like its in the net only for a full length dive from Sorenson to nudge it away. Big scramble follows before Potters eventually clear

58 min: Lawrence wins free kick on wing. Etherington floats in free kick. Defender chests it down and Fuller dives in to head in from 4 yards but boot of Fahey kicks it off the Jamaicans head

56 min: Clearance from Wilkinson goes all the way along the floor to Fuller, 60 yards away. The Jamaican nips in front of defender but struggles to get pace on shot and Hart easily holds

55 min: Carr gives away another throw in, about half a dozen already this half, but Shawcross heads over from 12 yards. All Stoke so far

53 min: Kevin Phillips departs for record signing and dangerman Christian Benitez

47 min: The first throw in of the second in won by Fuller. Half cleared before Wilkinson 16 yard header is heading in before being blocked.

HT: Stoke have been the better side but have so far not managed to carve open a clear cut chance

45 min: Ball over the top goes through to Fuller. Free kick is given against the Potters for Kitson's apparent push on jumping defender as the ball came through to Fuller 

36 min: Fuller feeds Etherington, shot blocked and ball comes to Delap but poor shot with teammates well placed

34 min: Another throw in causes panic. Hart touches ball away with fingertips.

32 min: Delap throw causes panic. Eventually headed behidn for a corner. Also note that Ben Marshall's strike for Northampton has been re-credited to Akinfenwa

20 min: Kitson gets ball 30 yards. Looks up and drills a shot in. Bal goes over but a show of confidence by the record signing

10 min: Beattie has to go off injured with what looks like a twisted ankle. Kitson on for him

*********Loanee update - Ben Marshall scores for Northampton ***************

8 min: Queudrue carries ball unchalleneged from halfway line before unleashing powerful effort from 25 yards. Sorenson decides not to try and catch and pushes ball away

5 min: Lawrence picks up Beattie flick on far side of area. Lashes across goal, just wide.

Team news:

Birmingham: Hart, Carr, Johnson, Queudrue, Parnaby, Fahey, Ferguson, Bowyer, Phillips, O'Connor, McFadden
subs: Maik Taylor, Espinoza, Larsson, McSheffrey, Carsley, O'Shea, Benitez

Stoke: Sorenson, Wilkinson, Higginbotham, A.D. Faye, Shawcross, Larwence, Etherington, Whelan, Delap, Beattie, Fuller
subs: Simonsen, Griffin, Pugh, Cort, Cresswell, Kitson, Whitehead