An injury-time header from Stoke substitute Mamady Sidibe sees the Potters to a dramatic 3-2 win.
Last-gasp Stoke winner sends Potters fans into a frenzy.
An injury-time header from Stoke substitute Mamady Sidibe helped the Potters to a dramatic 3-2 win in their first ever home match in the Premier League.
Stoke led twice, first through a 30th-minute Liam Lawrence penalty moments after Gabriel Agbonlahor's penalty appeal was turned down, and again after a piece of brilliance for Ricardo Fuller with his back to the Villa goal.
But John Carew's clinical strike on 63 minutes and Martin Laursen's close-range tap-in looked like it would be enough to give Martin O'Neill's below-par Villa a share of the points.
But in the fourth and final minute of injury time, second-half substitute Sidibe rose to head home Rory Delap's long throw-in to send the home fans into a frenzy.
It was no more than Stoke deserved, after outclassing the visitors for much of the first half. But having got level twice, O'Neill will feel upset his side could not turn their second-half momentum into a third goal.
Tony Pulis' side's direct style proved to be effective against Villa and his side took a deserved victory after a pulsating match at the Britannia Stadium.
A high-tempo start saw Gabriel Agbonlahor put through in the second minute, but Abdoulaye Faye slid to intercept the ball, which City goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen cleared to safety.
Stoke, backed by a vociferous home crowd who were taking in their first game in the English top-flight for 23 years, had their first real chance five minutes later after Stiliyan Petrov fouled Dickinson on the left edge of the penalty area.
Lawrence whipped the resulting free-kick into the box but Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel ignored the physical presence of Fuller and claimed well.
Lawrence was Stoke's best attacking outlet and he found space down the right
flank in the 18th minute before delivering a high cross into the penalty area -
but Fuller was unable to make contact.
Villa launched a counter-attack in the 24th minute but Ashley Young was unable to pick out Carew and Stoke cleared the danger.
The visitors had a decent shout for a penalty turned down in the 27th minute when Agbonlahor went down among a crowd of bodies, but referee Mark Halsey waved away the protests of the Villa players.
Stoke were then awarded a penalty of their own three minutes later after Laursen brought down Delap.
The Villa captain was lucky to escape after he seemed to catch Fuller following neat build-up play by Stoke inside the penalty area.
Villa tried to scramble the ball clear but Laursen then fouled Delap and this time Halsey pointed to spot.
Lawrence took the spot-kick and drilled the ball low into the bottom-left corner past the despairing dive of Friedel.
The home side continued to press and could have been 2-0 up in the 37th minute when Fuller was picked out by a long ball on the edge of the area - but the Jamaica international screwed his shot wide.
Stoke went close again in first-half added time after Delap's long throw-in was
headed wide by the unmarked Fuller.
Pulis withdrew Amdy Faye for former Liverpool midfielder Salif Diao in the 72nd minute while Villa took off Nicky Shorey for Wayne Routledge.
Diao was immediately into the play and lashed a wild shot into the stands from
long range after Fuller had laid the ball off.
Dave Kitson was replaced by Sidibe in the 76th minute as Stoke adopted a direct style for the remainder of the game.
The Potters continued to press and their pressure was rewarded in the 80th
minute with a superb finish from Fuller.
Lawrence released the striker with a perfectly-weighted through-ball and Fuller
smashed a low shot from a narrow angle past Friedel.
But Stoke were again unable to hold on to the lead as Laursen finished from
close range three minutes later.
Ashley Young fired a low shot at goal after his initial free-kick was cleared and the ball hit several players before it fell perfectly at the feet of the Denmark international, who swept home from six yards.
The match looked to be heading for a draw but a long throw from Delap in
injury-time found Sidibe - and he rose highest to head home from close range.
| Stoke City |
Team Statistics |
Aston Villa |
| 3 |
Goals |
2 |
| 1 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 3 |
Shots on Target |
2 |
| 7 |
Shots off Target |
3 |
| 0 |
Blocked Shots |
1 |
| 2 |
Corners |
8 |
| 15 |
Fouls |
5 |
| 0 |
Offsides |
1 |
| 1 |
Yellow Cards |
0 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 68.4 |
Passing Success |
76 |
| 29 |
Tackles |
23 |
| 89.7 |
Tackles Success |
60.9 |
| 40.4 |
Possession |
59.6 |
| 41.6 |
Territorial Advantage |
58.4 |
|
