Bojan magic ends Stoke’s Southampton hoodoo

Bojan Krkic`s stupendous finish gave Stoke another three points on their travels and ended a 35-year Hoodoo on the South coast.

The Potters came away from St. Mary`s with a 1-0 victory and three points for the first time since 1980.

Bojan met Erik Pieters delicious cross as he got in front of defender and flicked the ball expertly into the top corner of the net early in the first half.

Bojan`s goal and the Potters conversion to gain all three points continued the Spaniard`s impressive record of Stoke never losing a game in which he had scored. (five wins and a draw)

The victory means that the Potters have now won seven games in their last nine outings in all competitions and rise to 11th in the Premier League, maintaining their best start to a Premier League campaign.

The result could have looked more comfortable on another day as Stoke squandered a number of golden opportunities as the Mark Hughes influenced engine has well and truly started to tick over.

The Potters looked dangerous every time they went forward, and were at their most menacing on the counter attack with the likes of Xherdan Shaqiri and most noticeably Marko Arnautovic causing real trouble for the Southampton defence.

Shaqiri could have twice doubled the lead but his first effort after good link up play with Bojan was well saved whilst he blazed his second effort over after superb wing play from Arnautovic.

Arnautovic had a chance of his own after a superb pass from Glenn Johnson, but with the goal at his mercy, the Austrian fire wide and over.

Late on, Stoke still pushed forward as they caught Southampton on the counter attack once more, and Arnautovic again beat his full back and fired across the face of the goal, but Ibrahim Afellay, who enjoyed a brief lively cameo had his shot cleared off the line by Ryan Bertrand.

England international goalkeeper Jack Butland enjoyed a quiet game, where he hardly had to make a save, with his main work coming to collect a few crosses. It was his third consecutive clean sheet in the Premier League, and his fifth consecutive away clean sheet.

The recent upturn in Stoke`s defence stability correlates with the return of Stoke`s captain and centre half Ryan Shawcross, where the Potters have picked up 7 points and conceded no goals in his three Premier League appearances.

Stoke will be counting their blessing though as referee Lee Mason waved away a penalty claim which saw Phillip Wollscheid make contact with Graziano Pelle, which on another day would have seen a reward of a spot kick.

The Potters now travel to Sunderland as they look to end another league hoodoo.