FINALLY, AN AWAY WIN

 

 

Last time around, Stoke turned out to be one of our more straightforward encounters in the Premiership. Well our 2-0 win at the Britannia Stadium wasn't one of our smoother performances of the season but we got the win and that's what counted. Tony Pulis's crew swung round to Old Trafford on the final game of the season with the title race having gone to the wire. We saw them off 4-0 on that occasion. On paper we couldn't have asked for more. In practice, Chelsea were doing an even better job elsewhere and we found ourselves losing the Premiership title. Stoke in the meantime had a solid enough season, finishing well ahead of the relegation zone.

This time around, well the Wayne Rooney saga was finally behind us even if the England assasin hadn't recovered from his injury yet. Stoke in the meantime were doing what they do, hanging round the midtable and the Britannia Stadium for a Premiership match was as good a way as any for the Reds to get back to normality, and also hopefully a good place for us to finally win a Premiership away game for the first time this season - we couldn't wait too long to get back on Chelsea's tale. So, back to 4-4-2, van de Saar in goal, Neville right back and captain, Rio and Vidic in central defence, O'Shea left back, Nani right mid, Scholes and Fletcher centre mid, Evra of all people left mid, Berbatov and Hernandez up front.

Well though Stoke had the early attacking play with the fans eager to mug us for the first time in their current spell in the top flight. However it was only going to be a matter of time before United started to attack themselves and as the half went on, a decent game of football developed, we were just waiting for goals. One of those came in the 27th minute, when Vidic knocked a Nani corner to Hernandez who somehow headed it in with the back of his head. Elsewhere though, United were dodging bullets of a different kind, we could have come into half time down to ten men. However we didn't and I had no reason to complain about the opening period. Holding on to our lead was going to be another matter entirely though.

United opened the second half with one of the messiest substiutions of all time. In the meantime Stoke tried their hand with theie trademark long throws but they proved to be nothing our defence couldn't handle. What we should have had at the other end was a penalty but ultimately the ref had other ideas. In the meantime both sides made further substitutions. It was the home side's switched that paid off. Marc Wilson sent the ball out wide to Tuncay Sanli in the 82nd minute and the next thing anyone knew, the Turk had lobbed our goalie! And United fans were left with a sense of deja vu. Finally though the curse was broken. In the 87th minute Hernandez picked up the rebound of an Evra shot. His second goal and the winning goal on another Premiership team's ground. Finally.

Elsewhere, Chelsea beat Wolves 2-0 at Stamford Bridge with the defending champions facing little threat from Mick McCarthy's side as they hit the net either side of half two for what was a very predictable victory. Man City were then beaten 3-0 by Arsenal at the City of Manchester Stadium, the Gunners managing to outclass the Blues despite their big spending. To add insult to injury, the home side finished the game with ten men! So, that allows United to move back up to 3rd in the Premiership and puts the Reds back on course for the Champions League group stages. They lie five points behind leaders Chelsea and are level on points with Man City and a diversion through the Champions League preliminaries but with a +4 goal difference advantage.

North of the border, Aberdeen faced Hibs at Pittodrie in the SPL. Well Maguire opened the scoring for the Dons with Vernon making it two as the visitors just didn't know what to do about the on form Red attackers. Vernon grabbed his second after halftime and when Hartley added a penalty Hibs were pretty much buried. The visitors did hit the net thanks to Colin Nish and Souleymane Bamba grabbed a second but it was too little too late. Needless to say, Mark McGhee was very happy with that performance and felt vindicated given recent critiscism of the Dons in the media. Even he knows though that this has to just be for starters.

Elsewhere, Kilmarnock faced Inverness CT at Rugby Park. The first half wasn't the greatest of adverts for Scottish football but even though there were few opportunities, one of them hit the net thanks to Caley's Adam Rooney. The second half was much livlier and Caley went two up thanks to Johnathon Hayes. Killie pulled one back thanks to Marinha Rui Miguel but their inability to final an equaliser left the home fans and players gutted. That means that Aberdeen move up to 8th in the SPL, one point behind St Johnstone(who beat Hamilton 2-1 at New Douglas Park) and the top half of the table and five points ahead of St Mirren(beaten 3-0 by Hearts at Tynecastle) and relegation.

Back south of the border, the FA Cup 1st round draw has been made. This is the point where Exeter enter the picture and my local L1 side find themmselves up against L2 Bury at Gigg Lane. Given City's league form, they should be able to pull this off. Another tie that proves very interesting is the FA Cup debut of FC United, a team formed in 2005 by MUFC fans protesting the Glazer takeover. While I am sympathetic to their point of view, I'm never sure how seriously to take them. Still the currently Northern Premier Division side are facing what has to be the biggest match of their club's short history, against L1 side Rochdale at Spotland. Best wishes to United but I expect this'll be a pretty big reality check.

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