Tweet
<H1>Stoke 1-0 Coventry: Griffin hits stunning winner</H1><DIV class=bylinebox style="MARGIN-TOP: 8px"><DIV class=bylinetext>PA
</DIV><DIV style="FLOAT: left"></DIV></DIV><BR clear=all><DIV class=text11 style="BACKGROUND: #fff"><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=425>Andy Griffin scored the only goal of the game as dominant Stoke cruised to a 1-0 victory against Coventry despite having Ricardo Fuller sent off at a foggy Britannia Stadium. All of the decisive action took place around the hour, with Griffin cutting in from the left to drive in an unstoppable shot from 30 yards. But moments after Carl Hoefkens had struck the woodwork for the hosts Fuller, who had missed a host of chances, elbowed Michael Doyle and was sent off. But the hosts comfortably held on for a deserved victory, making it four defeats in six matches for Micky Adams' visitors. Even by Coca-Cola Championship standards, it was an explosive start with plenty of fierce tackling but little else. A low Mamady Sidibe effort was deflected wide by Stoke old boy Clive Clarke after four minutes but that aside there was little early goalmouth action. The hosts gradually got themselves on top and after he had skipped past Elliott Ward wide on the Stoke left, Fuller's strike was knocked wide by Robert Page. As the gloom continued to envelop the pitch, a mistake by Griffin at the other end sent Stern John through on goal and past Steve Simonsen but the Sky Blues striker blasted wide of goal. Fuller exchanged passes with Luke Chadwick but his scooped effort was blocked by a defender and straight into the arms of goalkeeper Andy Marshall. Then a move involving Lee Hendrie and Sidibe saw the ball passed Fuller's way but his shot on goal was way off target from 20 yards. Fuller was guilty of another poor miss as Hoefkens charged into the area and crossed to pick out the striker unmarked at the far post, only for the Jamaican to again slice well over. Marcus Hall thwarted Fuller in the 37th minute and Sidibe also lashed wide as the half ended goalless. The home team continued to dominate after the interval with Marshall punching a high Salif Diao shot only as far as Chadwick, who saw his header cleared off the line by Elliott Ward. The visitors finally produced an effort on goal, with Doyle driving wide. But as the Potters piled on the pressure, Griffin curled home from 30 yards to score a second goal of his loan spell from Portsmouth. The game exploded shortly after with Hoefkens seeing a shot come back off the bar and Fuller sent off. The Jamaican had given away a free-kick for a foul on Jay Tabb and as he was tracking back he caught Sky Blues midfielder Doyle on the chin, earning him a straight red card and causing a melee. Stoke appeals for a handball against Ward on halfway as Sidibe tried to break away were waved away by referee Carl Boyeson with 17 minutes remaining. Even though they were a man down, Stoke's lead never looked in trouble until a late flurry from the visitors. Leon McKenzie dragged wide in added time at the end but substitute Vincent Pericard was only prevented from scoring a second for the hosts by a fine save from Marshall. McKenzie then got the ball in the net, flicking on Page's header, but the striker was ruled offside. <HR></TD><TD width=15><SPACER height="1" type="block" width="15"></TD><TD class=rightcell vAlign=top width=195><DIV style="PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; WIDTH: 300px"><TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR class=stathead style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #555555"><TD align=middle colSpan=3>Match Summary</TD><TD>STO</TD><TD>COV</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow><TD align=middle>
</TD><TD align=mid
</DIV><DIV style="FLOAT: left"></DIV></DIV><BR clear=all><DIV class=text11 style="BACKGROUND: #fff"><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=425>Andy Griffin scored the only goal of the game as dominant Stoke cruised to a 1-0 victory against Coventry despite having Ricardo Fuller sent off at a foggy Britannia Stadium. All of the decisive action took place around the hour, with Griffin cutting in from the left to drive in an unstoppable shot from 30 yards. But moments after Carl Hoefkens had struck the woodwork for the hosts Fuller, who had missed a host of chances, elbowed Michael Doyle and was sent off. But the hosts comfortably held on for a deserved victory, making it four defeats in six matches for Micky Adams' visitors. Even by Coca-Cola Championship standards, it was an explosive start with plenty of fierce tackling but little else. A low Mamady Sidibe effort was deflected wide by Stoke old boy Clive Clarke after four minutes but that aside there was little early goalmouth action. The hosts gradually got themselves on top and after he had skipped past Elliott Ward wide on the Stoke left, Fuller's strike was knocked wide by Robert Page. As the gloom continued to envelop the pitch, a mistake by Griffin at the other end sent Stern John through on goal and past Steve Simonsen but the Sky Blues striker blasted wide of goal. Fuller exchanged passes with Luke Chadwick but his scooped effort was blocked by a defender and straight into the arms of goalkeeper Andy Marshall. Then a move involving Lee Hendrie and Sidibe saw the ball passed Fuller's way but his shot on goal was way off target from 20 yards. Fuller was guilty of another poor miss as Hoefkens charged into the area and crossed to pick out the striker unmarked at the far post, only for the Jamaican to again slice well over. Marcus Hall thwarted Fuller in the 37th minute and Sidibe also lashed wide as the half ended goalless. The home team continued to dominate after the interval with Marshall punching a high Salif Diao shot only as far as Chadwick, who saw his header cleared off the line by Elliott Ward. The visitors finally produced an effort on goal, with Doyle driving wide. But as the Potters piled on the pressure, Griffin curled home from 30 yards to score a second goal of his loan spell from Portsmouth. The game exploded shortly after with Hoefkens seeing a shot come back off the bar and Fuller sent off. The Jamaican had given away a free-kick for a foul on Jay Tabb and as he was tracking back he caught Sky Blues midfielder Doyle on the chin, earning him a straight red card and causing a melee. Stoke appeals for a handball against Ward on halfway as Sidibe tried to break away were waved away by referee Carl Boyeson with 17 minutes remaining. Even though they were a man down, Stoke's lead never looked in trouble until a late flurry from the visitors. Leon McKenzie dragged wide in added time at the end but substitute Vincent Pericard was only prevented from scoring a second for the hosts by a fine save from Marshall. McKenzie then got the ball in the net, flicking on Page's header, but the striker was ruled offside. <HR></TD><TD width=15><SPACER height="1" type="block" width="15"></TD><TD class=rightcell vAlign=top width=195><DIV style="PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; WIDTH: 300px"><TABLE class=tablehead cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 border=0><TBODY><TR class=stathead style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #555555"><TD align=middle colSpan=3>Match Summary</TD><TD>STO</TD><TD>COV</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow><TD align=middle>
</TD><TD align=mid