For our second “Executive Away Day” we travelled with Raj Athwal to Stoke City with a 40 strong group of Sky Blues fanatics, with a meet time at the Ricoh of 10h30, there was plenty of time to have a “cup of tea” before embarking on our mission for 3 points against the improving Potters. All aboard and we were off, with our now famous win over Man Yoo on the DVD and a happy mood enveloped the bus.

On our arrival at Stoke, we inadvertently went into the wrong door, which led to one bright spark mentioning that we had “just gone into Administration”, which was the heading above the door, but we soon found our way to the corporate area took our seats and prepared for the oncoming entertainment.

This was provided by a Brummie Comedian, not by our own Tony “Banger” Walsh for a change, but the big fella did ensure he got a mention.

With the food despatched and red wine going down freely, it was time to take our seats in the “Corporate Area” which was just the same as the rest of the ground, only with a bit if tape to section it off. The first half was a little like the fare served up at the Ricoh recently, plenty of endeavour but little in the way of flair from either side. Tabb had a soft shot saved before Fuller had a shot well saved from recalled Dimi in the Coventry goal, home fans pleaded that it had crossed the line, but the referee was having none of it.

Ex Sky Blues favourite John Eustace was putting himself about to good effect for Stoke, but getting little change from Doyle & Eustace. Robbie Simpson then made an important tackle and seemed to be taken late by Shawcross, it looked a bad omen for City as the former Cambridge man stayed down. Adebola got the nod and went alongside Best up front. HT 0 – 0

As has been our want this term, the second half bore little resemblance to the first, with City first to every ball and Mifsud causing havoc for the home defence, from a lovely weighted ball from Adebola, the Sky Blues took the lead. Mifsud raced onto it, before planting a great shot into the net. Time for minor celebrations all round, but the hostile natives weren’t too enamoured to see us 40 odd Away fans in their end! Five minutes later and it was 2 – 0. This time the ball from a corner was only cleared as far as Isaac Osbourne, who stood up a flighted ball into the six-yard box. The keeper was committed but Big Dele got there first and created mayhem. Home fans jumped around it tub thumping mode and I’m sure one of them went outside to his car to collect his obligatory “Stone Island” jacket, to make him look more menacing. The stewards had seen it all before though and came racing to our defence. It looked like being a Bristol City all over again, but the meatheads were prevented from attacking our Prawn Sandwich brigade and order was returned.

On 70 minutes there was a contentious penalty awarded in the home town’s favour, when Ben Turner was adjudged to have bought down Ricardo Fuller, he clearly won the ball, but the baying Stoke fans could have influenced the linesman’s thinking and he immediately flagged for a penalty. The fact that Turner wasn’t booked, tells its own story. Liam Lawrence made no mistake from the spot. With 15 minutes to go, I felt a little uneasy, but need not have worried as the man of the moment, Michael Mifsud added to his collection for the season with a super strike to put the contest out of sight. This time Doyle played a great ball into his path and the diminutive Maltese international made no mistake from 12 yards, with a fierce shot into the top corner.

That gives him 10 so far for the season, which he could have added to, but his effort came back off the post, then Michael Doyle had a great chance to finish them off, but Simonson managed to beat his shot away for a corner. By this time the “Stone Island Brigade” had decided it was time to go and let off some fireworks around their nana’s and made their way to the exit gates, whilst we gorged ourselves on Meat & Potato pies in the sanctity of the executive suite, before heading home with a sing song all the way home, happy with our decision to join Raj for his trip and all in positive mood for the next one, which is against Leicester in January.

GT M.O.M.

Michael Mifsud

Player Ratings:

7 ……. Dimi

8 ……. McNamee

6 ……. DeZeeuw

7 ……. Turner

5 ……. Hall

6 ……. Simpson

7 ……. Doyle

6……. Osbourne

7 ……. Tabb

5 ……. Best

8 ……. Mifsud

Subs:

7 ……. Adebola

6 ……. Kyle