Pre-season 2010: Notts county 0–0 Stoke City – Tony Pulis’ side fire blanks against League One side, but prove two good for non-league Nantwich Town

A win and draw sends Pulis home a happy Potter...

22 Jul 2010 22:02:00

By Richard Parry

More On :  Notts County F.C., Stoke City
Tony Pulis - Stoke City (PA)


While most managers will be looking to make wholesale substitutions during their pre-season's fixtures, Stoke City boss Tony Pulis opted to schedule two matches in the same night, away to Notts County, and non-league Nantwich Town.


Nantwich Town 1-2 Stoke City
The Weaver Stadium, Nantwich
Kick-off 19:00

The Premier League side fielded a fairly accomplished line-up at The Weaver Stadium, with Ibrahima Sonko and Dave Kitson starting for the Potters.

Summer signing Florent Cuvelier, who joined Pulis’ side from Portsmouth, impressed throughout the contest, as the 17-year-old dictated the tempo, and controlled the midfield play.

But the Belgian was not the only youngster to shine for Stoke, with 18-year-old forward Louis Moult bagging a first-half brace.

The young striker fired Stoke ahead in the 28th minute with a clinical finish after Matty Lund played him through, before doubling the advantage ten minutes later by brilliantly diverting Ben Marshall's ball into the bottom corner of the net.

The match was entertaining throughout, with both sides playing some neat touches, although they were unable to the trouble the goalkeepers on too many occasions.

Nantwich finally earned the goal that their performance deserved, and what a strike it was, with Jake Sedgemore curling home an unbelievable free-kick from no less than 35-yards.

Stoke City starting XI: St.Louis-Hamilton; Shotton, Davies, Sonko, Dickinson; Soares, Lund, Cuvellier, Marshall; Moult, Kitson. 
Notts County 0-0 Stoke City
Meadow Lane, Nottingham
kick-off 19:45

While the match at The Weaver Stadium was a display of expansive attacking football from Stoke’s youngsters, the senior boys from both sides were pulling no punches at Meadow Lane.

The match had to be stopped temporarily after Danny Higginbotham received an elbow in the face from Notts striker Lee Hughes with just six minutes on the clock, in a personal duel which would continue throughout the contest.

The Stoke defender fouled Hughes five minutes later, sparking a less than ‘friendly’ incident which saw Glenn Whelan square-up to the former Coventry City striker.

County in particular were looking to get the ball down, and play it, but it was the Premier League side who almost scored what would have been a stunning goal.

Latching onto a Rory Delap ball down the right flank, the Republic of Ireland international turned neatly inside a defender and struck the ball beyond the 'keeper but unfortunately for Stoke, against the crossbar.

With the score level at half-time, Pulis looked to freshen-up his Stoke side in the second half, bringing on in goal Sorensen; Wilkinson and Huth in defence; Tonge, Whitehead and Pugh in midfield; and Beattie and Fuller up-front.

The Premier League side looked to grasp a stronghold over proceedings in the second-half, and went close to making the breakthrough when Tonge drilled the ball just over from 15 yards out, after Hugh had won possession inside the County half.

But alas, there was no breakthrough. In a league schedule, Pulis would have collected four points from tonight’s proceedings, so an outcome of a draw and victory from tonight’s matches will send the Stoke manager home a relatively happy Potter.

Stoke City starting XI: Begovic, Huth, Shawcross, Higginbotham, Collins; Lawrence, Delap, Whelan, Etherington; Sidibe, Tuncay.

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