Sidibe Header Enough For Stoke

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A towering header from Mamady Sidibe six minutes from time secured a massive three points for Stoke City and left West Brom at the foot of the table.

The Mali international rose well above his marker to make no mistake from Danny Higginbotham's perfect cross after some fine work by substitute Michael Tonge.

MAMADY SIBIDE

Stoke's victory was deserved on the balance of play, but Albion skipper Jonathan Greening will be kicking himself for blazing high and wide after picking Andy Griffin's pocket in the 80th minute.

City suffered an early blow when record signing Dave Kitson was stretchered away with a leg injury and replaced by Richard Cresswell in the 11th minute.

But they almost took the lead just a minute later with a tremendous effort by Sidibe.

He controlled a long ball on his chest before flicking it over a defender and unleashing a vicious volley which Scott Carson tipped acrobatically for a corner.

Carson, who turned down Stoke to join Albion in the summer, was booed every time he touched the ball by the home fans, who preyed on his mistake for England in midweek.

Ishmael Miller finally landed a blow for the visitors in the 29th minute when his 18-yard volley dipped too late to trouble Thomas Sorensen, with the ball landing on the roof of the net.

But Stoke continued to enjoy the better of a low quality contest, forcing Albion to defend a succession of corners and the long throws of Rory Delap.

The loss of suspended top scorer Ricardo Fuller was an obvious blow for the home side as they lacked a real spark in the final third.

Stoke tried to up the ante at the start of the second half and Tom Soares squandered the best opportunity of the game in the 51st minute.

The trickery of Cresswell opened the door, but Soares shot too close to Carson from 14 yards and the rebound was booted to safety before Sidibe could pounce.

Tonge replaced Soares in the 65th minute and his first piece of the action ended with a swerving shot which Carson gathered at the second attempt.

But Albion were defending well, particularly under Stoke's aerial bombardment, with Abdoulaye Meite and Jonas Olsson holding firm until Sidibe settled it.

Albion have now failed to win at Stoke in 17 attempts in a record that stretches all the way back to 1982.

After the match Stoke City manager Tony Pulis refused to condemn his side's style of play, saying: "People talk about different philosophies. They say we're different in what we do and what we don't do.

"Well, I don't like my team to go back, then square, back then square. I like them to play through the pitch.

"If we can do that then we will. If not we'll play the angles and play to our strengths.

"Tony Mowbray has only got to speak for his own side.

"They've not had a shot on goal, so I can understand where he's coming from. I thought we played some good stuff today.

Dejected Albion boss West Brom Tony Mowbray said: "I don't want to be harsh but I thought it was a pretty dross game of football. I don't think there was too much to talk about, it was a pretty poor match.

"I can't remember them having too many chances but we've lost 1-0 and it's disappointing that we didn't create enough chances ourselves.

"You may describe Stoke as a physical side - you've got to be physically ready to come here and I thought we did that admirably today.

"Sometimes that makes for a less enjoyable football match, less of a spectacle. But there you go, all that matters in the eyes of some is the result.

"You know my philosophy. My view is that I like to entertain the supporters who come and pay their hard-earned money and I thought that was very difficult to do here."

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