Stoke collapse in extra time

Stoke failed to capitalise on an early lead at Upton Park last night and eventually crashed out of the Carling Cup by 3-1 after the Hammers took the tie into extra time.

The Potters should have made the most of the home sides’s discomfort after Kenwyne Jones had given us the perfect start with his 6th minute header and both Jones and Tuncay, making a rare start after his goal on Sunday, had good chances to put the tie well beyond the beleaguered Hammers before half time.

But the home side rallied and turned up the pressure in the second half without much of a response from Stoke so it was of little surprise that they eventually broke through with just five minutes of normal time remaining, allowing Scott Parker to head home from a cross.

We then seemed to give up in extra time and West Ham took the lead with an easy goal from Da Costa whilst we stood and watched and capped it with a late goal from Obinna at the death to the ensure that there was no chance of any Potters’ comeback.

So that’s it as far as the Carling Cup is concerned for another year. That’s the second year we’ve gone out in the fourth round after Pompey thrashed us 4-0 at Fratton Park last year and now we let another team at the foot of the Premier League get one over us, although I must admit that the Hammers do seem to be showing some signs of form that belie their position.