POTTERS CRUMBLE

O’neill stunned by fightback

By at the bet365 Stadium THREE goals in five crazy minutes turned a Cardiff crisis into a Stoke inquest.

Managerless Bluebirds were heading for their ninth straight defeat and about to incur the wrath of their travelling supporters.

Then in the blink of an eye, boos turned to cheers as the Potters imploded.

Potters boss Michael O’neill admitted: “It is difficult to explain.

“I have seen the goals back and we have had a shambolic five to 10 minutes in the game.

“We conceded two poor goals and also could have defended better for the third goal.

“From 3-0 up and being comfortable, they are suddenly level and it is incredibly frustrating.

“We had a little period before they scored when we stopped doing the good things. I am extremely disappointed – we all are – and the players need support in a difficult period.”

First-half goals from Jacob Brown and Steven Fletcher seemed to have ended a winless run of four matches.

Fletcher’s beautiful chip for his second looked like capping the victory.

Instead, the Welshmen hit back through Rubin Colwill, sub Mark Harris and Kieffer Moore.

Interim boss Steve Morison said: “Was I fearing the worst? We had the worst, we were 3-0 down and it couldn’t have got much worse.

“But the fans never stopped singing and it’s about time they got something.

“This is what football is all about. We could have won it.”

No one would have bet on the Bluebirds after an hour.

First Ben Wilmot picked out free-as-a-bird Brown, who headed the Potters into the early lead.

Then Brown fed Fletcher, who toyed with a pass, chose a long-range shot instead and saw it deflect past Alex Smithies.

The home side could have been a goal down in the opening minutes but Kieron Evans failed to connect properly with Colwill’s pass when it looked easier to score.

Colwill pulled one back after a misread by keeper Joe Bursik, while a James Chester error gifted Harris the second before Moore completed the comeback.

Cardiff’s Leandro Bacuna also hit the post with a free-kick and Harris was denied a winner by an offside flag.

STOKE: Bursik 5; Wilmot 6, Souttar 6, Chester 6; Smith 5, Allen 6, Sawyers 6, Thompson 6 (Vrancic, 79), Tymon 6; Brown 8 (Surridge, 73, 4), Fletcher 8 (Campbell, 73, 4). Subs not used: Davies, Baath, Ince, Sima. CARDIFF: Mcguinness 5, Morrison 6 (Flint, 84), Nelson 6; Ng 6, Colwill 7, Vaulks 6, Bacuna 6, Giles 7; Moore 7, Evans 5 (Harris, 52, 6). Subs not used: Phillips, Bagan, Brown, King, Davies. MAN OF THE MATCH: Stoke’s Steven Fletcher scored his first goals since April and was a constant thorn in Cardiff’s side. REFEREE: John Brooks 7.

MOORE THE MERRIER Celebrations after Kieffer Moore (second from right) made it 3-3