After 36 minutes that saw early Stoke City ambition fade as visiting Bolton came into the match, the Potters have found the first goal against their guests, using a corner kick, a fortunate flick, and some old school force to barely get the ball over Jussi Jaaskelainen's line. While it was neither deceive nor beautiful, Danny Higginbotham's conversion of a Tuncay Sanli cover has given Stoke a 1-0 lead over Bolton.
Stoke City Vs. Bolton: Danny Higginbotham Converts 36th Minute Corner, Gives Potters Lead
The goal came from a corner taken from the left side of Bolton's goal. Tuncay took the kick, playing the ball near post, where none of his teammates were making a run. Trotter striker Johan Elmander was there but did a poor job with his header, serving to flick the corner onto the far post.
There, Higginbotham beat his man to the ball, getting his right foot onto a shot back across goal. Jaaskelainen was coming across his line for the save, but sliding onto his back, the Finnish goalkeeper was adjudicated to be laying across the line, in goal when he caught Higginbotham’s shot.
Thus Stoke, after 36 minutes that had seen them play as the slightly better side, took the lead. Now minutes before halftime at the Britannia, the Potters hold a 1-0 edge.
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