Stoke City 1-0 Blackburn Rovers: Resolute Potters keep out Rovers
- Published
Nick Powell's header was his fifth goal in 19 games this season for Stoke
Stoke City kept a sixth clean sheet in seven games as they held on to beat Blackburn Rovers in the Championship.
Unmarked Nick Powell scored what proved to be the Potters' winner - with their only effort on target in the match - when he powerfully headed home Morgan Fox's sixth-minute cross from the left.
Blackburn almost levelled midway through the first half, but Barry Douglas' low shot from the edge of the box came back off the post after Stoke failed to clear Ryan Nyambe's cross.
Stoke defended stoutly for the rest of the game limiting free-scoring Rovers to just two efforts on goal, despite Tony Mowbray's side piling on the pressure towards the end of the game.
The win sees Stoke move up to seventh, outside the play-off places on goal difference only, while Blackburn stay 11th, five points further back.
Having gone ahead, Stoke sat back and did well to nullify a Rovers side who had scored 13 times in their previous seven games and dominated the first-half possession.
Free-scoring striker Adam Armstrong did break through shortly after half-time, but City keeper Josef Bursik saved as the forward tried to dink it over him.
Armstrong had another chance to level in the 89th minute, but the Championship's second-highest top scorer fired wide after a good ball in from Bradley Johnson.
Stoke City manager Michael O'Neill told BBC Radio Stoke:
"It's a defence masterclass because the opposition made us defend and especially in the first half we turned the ball over a lot.
"We scored a great goal and we were containing them, they didn't have many clear-cut chances and then we had more of the game in the second half.
"Towards the end, they threw everything forward and we stuck to the task to get the three points."
Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray:
"You know what sort of team you will get from Stoke and Michael O'Neill, they are very well organised.
"It was vital we didn't lose a goal early, but it was a sloppy one with a lack of concentration. It was a frustrating day for us.
"We have a reputation for scoring a lot of goals early in the season, which perhaps is making it harder for us in that teams are playing more men behind the ball and deeper."
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