Lew and behold for Alex
By
STOKE gave their boss-in-waiting Alex Neil the perfect welcome present with a gritty win at Blackburn.
Neil was watching on from the Ewood Park stands after walking out on Championship rivals Sunderland.
He is set to take up the Potteries’ post after Michael O’Neill’s sacking last week.
Dwight Gayle saw an early effort chalked off but the visitors persisted and skipper Lewis Baker let rip from distance to give the visitors the lead on 27 minutes.
Dean Holden, in interim charge for this clash, saluted the players’ mentality after a tough few days.
He said: “It’s been a really difficult 48 hours.
“The staff in particular have had to put their feelings to one side and focus on getting the players well prepared to get the win and give everyone a lift.
“The players did what we’ve probably not done enough of this season, and that’s go out and show what a good team we can be. It was a well-deserved win.
“I’m disappointed that Michael wasn’t allowed to see the job through. But whoever gets the job, they’ll inherit a great group.”
Neil is likely to be in situ for Stoke’s next match at home to Swansea on Wednesday.
As for Blackburn, after a good start Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side have now lost three successive league matches and he was fuming that they created precious little.
“I was very angry, it wasn’t good enough,” said the Dane. “We are disappointed with the result.
“We were passive and made bad decisions with and without the ball.”
BLACKBURN: Kaminski 6; Rankin-Costello 4 (Wharton (46) 5), Phillips 6 (Carter (79) 6),
Ayala 5, Pickering 6 (Edun (90) 6); Travis 5, Morton 6; Szmodics 6 (Dolan (22) 6), Buckley 5 (Hedges (45) 5), Brereton-Diaz 5; Dack 6 STOKE: Bonham 6; Wilmot 6 (Fosu-Henry (69) 6), Flint 7, Taylor 6, Fox 6; Thompson 7, Baker 8, Clucas 6; Brown 6 (Wright-Phillips (88) 6), Delap 6, Gayle 7 (Campbell (61) 5)
STAR MAN: Lewis Baker. Scored the only goal and put in a true skipper’s performance.
REF: Leigh Doughty 5