NEW ERA LINKS WITH OLD
A DAY for a hello and a few goodbyes at Stoke City, even if quite how many is still to be determined – and no one will mind seeing this season disappearing over the horizon.
Tom Sparrow, the 19-year-old youth team graduate right wingback, came in for his debut at the expense of out-of-contract Tommy Smith for what turned out to be a final day mid-table tussle with Coventry, ending 1-1.
It could be the last game at Stoke for captain Joe Allen, also out of contract and courted by boyhood Swansea, while Taylor Harwoodbellis returns to parent club Manchester City and it remains to be seen what happens next with Morgan Fox and Sam Clucas, who have both been in cold storage for large chunks of this campaign.
It was Clucas, restored for his first start since February, scored Stoke’s goal against the run of play at the end of the first half. The 31-year-old swept in from a Josh Tymon cross to cancel out Viktor Gyokeres’s opener.
Stoke knew they were lucky not to have been behind by more as an upturn in form heading into the spring was curtailed by a dispiriting afternoon at Middlesbrough in the penultimate game and this unenthusiastic finale.
Gyokeres also shot just past the post, Jordan Shipley had a chip that went narrowly wide and Joe Bursik needed to save well from Shipley and the impressive Callum O’hare.
Nick Powell and Jacob Brown, who was crowned player of the year at full-time, had chances in the second half but James Chester needed to clear Ian Maatsen’s header off the line in the closing stages to secure a
draw and a second successive 14th place finish.
“If I am being honest, Coventry were by far the better team in the first-half and to have kept it at 1-0 for as long as we did, we were fortunate,” said Dean Holden, in charge from the touchline while Michael O’neill, still on crutches, liaised from the stands.
“Joe made some really important saves for us during that period, because to be fair we could have been three or four-nil down before we scored. The gaps between the frontline and the backline were far too big, and there were areas for them to exploit, especially O’hare who is a top player.
“Having said that, we scored a really good goal of our own to pull ourselves back into it, and then at half-time the manager came in and went to work tactically and made the distances that bit shorter.
“We were far more controlled in the second half but we kept making silly errors, giving the ball away far too cheaply, but it was more of an even half, without really giving them too many problems.”
Stoke’s home form has not been for the ages in this season when fans have been allowed back inside. This was the fifth draw at the bet365 Stadium to go along with 10 wins and eight defeats, 30 goals scored and 23 conceded. They have only picked up eight more points at headquarters than they have on the road.
Coventry, who beat Stoke at their own place in January, impressed again although Mark Robins was bemoaning not taking their chances.
They have finished two places and two points ahead of Stoke but could teach them a lesson or two.
Holden said: “Look, you can see that they have a real togetherness, they know their roles to a tee, and that is to be expected given they have had that team together for a while now, without the need for wholesale changes.
“They have come up from a lower division, they have that real spirit and they have some top quality players too - they move the ball ever so well, and we just couldn’t match them in that regard in the first-half.
“It is something we have spoken about because we want to play games in the same manner, and at times this season we have done that - but just nowhere near as consistent as we have wanted to be.
“We will be looking to address out shortcomings this summer with our recruitment, so there is plenty to take from the season - both good and bad.”
There were second-half cameos for James Chester, who is likely to move on if he wants to play regularly, and Romaine Sawyers, who could be available to sign for free if he leaves West Bromwich Albion in the next few weeks.
D’margio Wright-phillips got a chance to get back on the pitch and 16-year-old Emre Tezgel, an unused sub, will do his GCSES at Painsley Catholic College, in Cheadle, this summer before joining up with the first team squad full-time.
Families joined players on a postmatch lap of appreciation, showing their thanks to fans for the support they have received through what at times has been a pretty trying campaign. It has been far too long since Stoke held an end of season lap of honour.
It will be a busy summer trying to make sure that when the final whistle is blown on next season on May 6, 2023, the applause goes both ways.
EYES ON THE PRIZE: Stoke City’s Josh Tymon takes a shot at the Coventry goal as the Potters ended their Championship campaign with a 1-1 home draw.