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Terrible weather is now a normal feature of the Stoke games at Vale Park. The surroundings - a very amusing closed paddock to our left, an equally comical uncompleted stand to our right and directly in front, the bulk of the Vale fans, housed in the bycars. The rain was pouring down - I was on row E in the centre of the goal (not only did I get wet but also hit by footballs on more than one occasion!).
Boomer the 'cheesey' dog arrived on the scene to the tune 'who let the dogs out' after an even 'cheesier' thunderbirds countdown (It suits Thunderbirds, but not vale park!!) He came with his umbrella and his bucket that said "Hippo Meat" on it.
The stoke crowd were singing throughout the game, mostly taking the mickey out of our rivals, who managed an attendance of 10,000 for probably their biggest game of the season - 4,500 - 5,000 of that being potters fans (including some in the vale stands and others who payed the turnstile operators to let them in!?)
The game commenced with a brief wave of vale possesion, followed by Stoke beginning to take control. The first half was even overall, but no goals were scored, only chances.
Ian Armstrong tested the keeper in the 35th minute with a great shot, forcing an even greater save. Thomas had to clear off the line a while after that, tremendously getting his foot up high, clearing the ball from going in the top corner of the net.
In the second half, Stoke attacked towards the Stoke fans. Andy Cooke missed to opportunities, both crosses from the left hand side, the first over the bar and the second which in his fairness, he did try to keep down, went straight to the keeper.
Somehow, noise came from the Vale stands. It was the 63rd minute when Brooker crossed for McPhee, who was unmarked just in front of the penalty spot, and Mcphee was allowed to head home.
Stoke pushed forward, Bjarni and Brnjar Gunnarson (Who the PA bloke reckoned were both surnamed Gudjonsson) had some delightful play, Bjarni doing all he could down the left, Jugen Van Doerzen (JVD) crossing from the left (set up Cooke earlier) and Hoekstra were both trying to get near goal with no real chance.
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Gudjon then made a substitution which at first suprised me, but less than a minute after I was very glad he made it. JVD off for Louis Neal and Hoekstra off for Iwelumo. It was the 77th minute and Louis Neal played Chris Iwelumo through, his first touch of the game tapping it round the keeper, his 2nd touch was putting it in the back of the net to the delight of the potters fans and the vale fans weren't really shocked, they knew it was coming!
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It was certainly a battle. Fights broke out on the pitch, the players once - Clive Clark pushing his marker who had commited an unfair challenge on Clarke started all the players off. The Crowd (nothing to do with the away end though they were policed still.. picture below...) After the Stoke goal, several Stoke fans were spotted in the Vale end, the Stoke fans then moved onto the pitch to get out of the way of the violent vale fans, then Vale fans moved onto the pitch to try and fight the Stoke fans, who were moving out of trouble!!
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The Referee was appauling. One of the worst ref's I have seen in a long time. He gave vale everything, including when a vale player, on his own on the pitch fell over onto the ball, lying there for several seconds on the ball before the ref gave him a free kick?! Though vale could get away with murder and the ref would simply ignore. We came to the conclusion that he lived in burslem!
Many predicted the 'usual' one-one draw, and they were right. I was quietly confident that the potters could win, but they failed to show vale what they had been showing other teams recently.
Its chesterfield on Tuesday, I'll be there somewhere (it better not be raining!!) with my camera so I can show you more images. I will be putting a match preview and away guide ('Away Day' under 'MatchDay')with directions to the ground and what to expect, aswell as the usual match report.
