O’neill finds Pott of gold
By NEIL GOULDING at the bet365 Stadium
MICHAEL O’NEILL paid tribute to his Stoke side as they ended a nine-match winless run in style.
Jacob Brown met a
Lewis Baker delivery with a precise header into the far corner to hand the hosts an early lead, ending the
Lions’ eight-hour run without conceding.
And Baker, signed from Chelsea in January, was the architect for the Potters’ second goal, with his enticing freekick flicked on inadvertently by George Saville into his own net.
Stoke keeper Jack Bonham helped ensure Millwall suffered their first defeat in nine as he saved Jed Wallace’s late penalty.
“When you’re not winning, it’s the worst feeling ever,” admitted Potters boss O’neill.
“We’ve had a lot of times this season where we’ve come in and we’ve felt hard done by in games.
“Some of that has been self-inflicted, but the important thing was that we got a really good, controlled performance today. There was really good application from the players. Lewis has been a great signing – we stole him really, if I’m honest.
“He’s delivered and that’s because he feels valued here. He’s gone through a difficult period in his career, where you’re constantly a loan player – but he’s found his home and he’s an excellent player for us.”
The visitors looked uncharacteristically flat in a miserable return to the Potteries for former Stoke boss Gary Rowett.
Looking to close the gap on the play-off fray, the Lions had the opportunity to set up a grandstand finish but Wallace’s missed penalty, after Tom Bradshaw was held back by Phil Jagielka in the box, summed up a disappointing afternoon. “It would have made a nervy stadium with Stoke’s recent run and made it a very interesting end to the game, but I don’t think we deserved to get anything out of it,” said a frustrated Rowett.
“We have to accept that maybe it was just one game too far in this run.
“I’m proud of the players and I think they’ve been brilliant.
“We come out of it with massive credit and we’re disappointed today.
“But I don’t want that to overshadow the brilliant run the players have been on.
“They’ll get a nice breather now with the international break and we’ll come back and we’re still in the fight.”
STOKE: Bonham 7; Moore 6, Jagielka 6, Harwood-bellis 6; Wright-phillips 6 (Campbell 89), Allen 6, Baker 8, Vrancic 7 (Thompson 70, 6), Tymon 6; Brown 7, Maja 6 (Fletcher 90).
Subs not used: Bursik, Wilmot, Sima, Sawyers.
MILLWALL: Bialkowski 5; Ballard 5, Cooper 6, M Wallace 6; Mcnamara 6, Mitchell 6, Saville 4, Malone 5 (Kieftenbeld 62, 5); J Wallace 5, Burey 6 (Bradshaw 62, 6), Bennett 6 (Ojo 78).
Subs not used: Long, Pearce, Mahoney, Lovelace.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Lewis Baker. The in-form midfielder dazzled and was the architect for both goals.
REFEREE: John Brooks 5.