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Stoke City 2 - 2 Wolverhampton: Craddock Double Earns Wolves Deserved Point

Honours even at the Britannia Stadium.

Oct 31, 2009 11:28:52 AM

EPL: James Beattie, Stoke City v Wolverhampton Wanderers (Getty Images)
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EPL: James Beattie, Stoke City v Wolverhampton Wanderers (Getty Images)

Wolverhampton Wanderers battled back from two goals down to rescue a point against Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium.

A George Elokobi own goal and a strike from Matthew Etherington had put the hosts ahead in the first half, but a second half double from Jody Craddock saw Mick McCarthy's side salvage a draw.

Either side could have taken maximum points from what was an entertaining cut-and-thrust encounter.

Wolves were almost punished for some poor marking inside of the first five minutes, as Danny Collins found himself unchallenged on the end of Matthew Etherington’s corner before Kevin Doyle managed to scramble the ball clear.

The home side had another early opportunity to put themselves in front after being awarded a soft free-kick by referee Chris Foy, who then failed to see David Edwards block James Beattie’s strike from the set piece with his arm.

Rather than keep Beattie at bay, it was the protruding limbs of Elokobi that put Stoke ahead after 17 minutes, as he challenged the striker to Etherington’s cross after the winger had beaten Ronald Zubar on the counter attack, guiding the ball into his own net from six yards.

Beattie could have put his own name on the score sheet and double Wolves’ misery inside the half hour, when the ball fell to him inside the area, but he could only fire his effort over the bar.

The much travelled forward must have thought he had certainly scored as he met Ryan Shawcross’s delivery with a strong header that forced Wayne Hennessey into a fine parry.

Hennessey was one of the busiest players on the pitch for Mick McCarthy’s side in the first half, with little of note occurring going forward for Wolves, with long range efforts from Segundo Castillo and earlier Michael Kightly the closest to testing the returning Thomas Sorensen.

Like most teams in the Premier League, the visitors had struggled to deal with The Potters’ aerial prowess and it was a trademark long throw from Rory Delap that led to Stoke’s second goal.

Christophe Berra had cleared Delap’s slingshot launch, but the ball fell to Etherington, who chested the ball down and struck into Hennessey’s top corner from the edge of the area on the stroke of half time.

Wolves had endured a somewhat subdued first half during which they struggled to create many chances, but immediately after the interval they were back in the game through Craddock.

Nenad Milijas had been introduced in place of Castillo, and it was his free kick with his first touch that led to the goal, which was flicked on by Berra and arrived at Craddock’s feet at the far post for him to turn in.

Serbian playmaker Milijas then had another set piece from a similar position that troubled Sorensen in the Stoke goal, but the Dane was able to hold onto the ball.

Wolves continued to apply pressure to the host’s back line and forced a series of set pieces as they looked to claw their way back into the game, and after 64 minutes, they were rewarded, again through Craddock.

The experienced centre back rarely finds himself among the goals, but it was his header that saw Wolves level the scores, after another delivery from a corner from Milijas, who was fast starting to look like an inspired substitution.

With the game entering it’s final throws, both managers made attacking changes to try to break the deadlock, with long-term injury victim Mamady Sidibe and Tuncay Sanli replacing Beattie and Ricardo Fuller for Stoke, while Stefan Maierhofer joined the Wolves attack in place of Chris Iwelumo.

Maierhofer was in amongst the action almost immediately as he headed at Sorensen who comfortably took the ball.

At the other end, Abdoulaye Faye had a glorious opportunity to score the crucial winning goal as he met Etherington's cross, but headed over the bar as the spoils were shared.

Jamie Dunn, Goal.com

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