Stoke get goalless record

The Potters’ best away following of the season so far (over 1,500) saw the team notch up a new club record of six consecutive games without conceding a goal. Whilst their winning run ended with this 0-0 draw, the Potters can be pleased with their performance.

The first half was a fairly dour affair from Stoke who were without the services of Liam Lawrence, having failed a late fitness test due to a thigh strain and was replaced by Patrik Berger. Ricardo Fuller was favoured in place of Vincent Pericard who was dropped to the bench. The two main chances in the first half fell to the Sky Blues and Adebola should have finished them off better than he did. The first ended up being headed wide and the second ricocheted off the woodwork with Simonsen stranded.

As in the Cardiff game in midweek, Pulis managed to kick his team into life for the start of the second half and the Potters came out with more spirit and were stronger the more the game went on.

Stoke’s rock-solid defence looked like remaining impenetrable with good performances from Simonsen, Griffin, Higginbotham and Duberry. On the down side, Lee Hendrie seemed to be having an uncharacteristic off day with the ball slipping past him on more than one occasion – to the delight of the anti-Villa Coventry fans.

But chances were few and far between for both sides until City started to open the Coventry defence with a string of corners and with the pressure building Fuller, Sidibe and Berger all had good shots on goal.

A good away performance from Stoke and a goalless draw was probably a fair reflection of the match. Whilst they already had the meanest defence in the Championship, they can now also boast the best goal difference.

Coventry: Marshall, Duffy, Ward, Page, Hall, Cameron (John 66), Doyle, Clarke, Currie, Adebola, McKenzie (Birchall 90).
Subs Not Used: Gonzlalez-Robles, Bischoff, Virgo.

Stoke: Simonsen, Hoefkens, Duberry, Higginbotham, Griffin, Hendrie, Diao, Russell, Berger (Brammer 90), Fuller (Pericard 88), Sidibe.
Subs Not Used: Hill, Sweeney, Buxton.