Diving was the unfortunate focal point here as Tony Pulis accused Norwich's Robert Snodgrass of going down too easily for the free kick that led to the winning goal and then Chris Hughton, rightly, hit back over Charlie Adam's tumbling throughout.
Norwich 1 Stoke 0
Diving was the unfortunate focal point here as Tony Pulis accused Norwich's Robert Snodgrass of going down too easily for the free kick that led to the winning goal and then Chris Hughton, rightly, hit back over Charlie Adam's tumbling throughout.
Stoke manager Pulis's anger was animatedly expressed as Norwich scored and also at half-time, when he looked eager to vent his frustrations at referee Andre Marriner. After the match he had not mellowed as he discussed Snodgrass falling while tussling with Andy Wilkinson then picking himself up to deliver the free kick for Bradley Johnson to head in.
"I've been in to see the referee for a quick chat," said Pulis, who wants diving incidents reviewed on a Monday. "It certainly wasn't a free kick. Earlier, he's booked Charlie for diving but that was a push in the back [from Johnson]. That was a double kick in the teeth."
Norwich manager Hughton said, "If anything is labelled at Robert Snodgrass, the same could be said of Charlie Adam."
Aside from Adam's antics, this performance did not reflect well on Stoke. They have, apparently, been trying to play more football recently. Yet their intentions here were clear when took a rugby-style kick-off with their defensive midfielders laying the ball back, while their forwards ran forward, and the ball was hoisted high towards the right-hand corner.
Norwich's football was a prettier sight, especially from wide areas, and they could have scored when Wes Hoolahan crossed for Anthony Pilkington, whose drive was blocked by Asmir Begovic.
Adam's self-inflicted problem of failing to stay on his feet led to a booking when he fell after brushing into Johnson after 25 minutes. There was justice when Snodgrass later won and took the free kick that Johnson steered in.
Stoke should have levelled when Peter Crouch flicked the ball on for Jonathan Walters who just had John Ruddy to beat, but the Norwich goalkeeper reacted well to block. Kenwyne Jones wasted another excellent chance, angling a shot wide of the far post from eight yards.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}