Five-star Stoke finally makes it to FA Cup final
Source: Agencies |
April 19, 2011, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
STOKE City ended more than a century of FA Cup failure in the most emphatic way when it blasted Bolton Wanderers 5-0 at Wembley Stadium on Sunday to reach the final for the first time.
A dazzling display of wing play from Matthew Etherington and Jermaine Pennant, outstanding performances in every position and tactical nous from manager Tony Pulis provided the foundation for the biggest win in an FA Cup semifinal for 72 years.
The victory sealed Stoke's place back at Wembley on May 14 when it will play Manchester City which beat Manchester United on Saturday.
Stoke ripped into Bolton with an unstoppable force and was 3-0 up after 30 minutes with goals from Etherington after 11 minutes, Robert Huth after 17 and Kenwyne Jones after 30 with Jonathan Walters adding two more in the second half.
Unusually none of its goals came from the trusted long throw-ins from Rory Delap or set-pieces, with all coming from open play.
Most of them were helped along by some woeful defending from Bolton, which was trying to reach its first Cup final for 53 years.
Much had been made before the game over the feeling that Bolton was destined to reach its first final since its greatest player Nat Lofthouse, who died aged 85 in January, scored two in a 2-0 win over Manchester United in 1958.
Instead, the legacy of the fearless center-forward remained nothing but a distant memory as Bolton surrendered meekly and never looked like winning. It was the biggest win in this stage of the competition since Wolverhampton Wanderers beat Grimsby Town by the same score 72 years ago.
"We worked very hard all week on nullifying what Bolton do really well," delighted Stoke manager Tony Pulis told reporters. "We knew that with Etherington and Pennant playing wide, and Walters dropping in, we would have lots of space to break in and it worked an absolute treat, and I am very pleased."
A dazzling display of wing play from Matthew Etherington and Jermaine Pennant, outstanding performances in every position and tactical nous from manager Tony Pulis provided the foundation for the biggest win in an FA Cup semifinal for 72 years.
The victory sealed Stoke's place back at Wembley on May 14 when it will play Manchester City which beat Manchester United on Saturday.
Stoke ripped into Bolton with an unstoppable force and was 3-0 up after 30 minutes with goals from Etherington after 11 minutes, Robert Huth after 17 and Kenwyne Jones after 30 with Jonathan Walters adding two more in the second half.
Unusually none of its goals came from the trusted long throw-ins from Rory Delap or set-pieces, with all coming from open play.
Most of them were helped along by some woeful defending from Bolton, which was trying to reach its first Cup final for 53 years.
Much had been made before the game over the feeling that Bolton was destined to reach its first final since its greatest player Nat Lofthouse, who died aged 85 in January, scored two in a 2-0 win over Manchester United in 1958.
Instead, the legacy of the fearless center-forward remained nothing but a distant memory as Bolton surrendered meekly and never looked like winning. It was the biggest win in this stage of the competition since Wolverhampton Wanderers beat Grimsby Town by the same score 72 years ago.
"We worked very hard all week on nullifying what Bolton do really well," delighted Stoke manager Tony Pulis told reporters. "We knew that with Etherington and Pennant playing wide, and Walters dropping in, we would have lots of space to break in and it worked an absolute treat, and I am very pleased."
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