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Stoke moved off the bottom of the First Division with a vital 1-0 win against
fellow strugglers Walsall at the Britannia Stadium.
The Potters went some way to erasing the memory of their 6-0 defeat at
Nottingham Forest as Lee Mills' 19th-minute strike was enough to secure their
first league win since New Year's Day.
Walsall, who failed to create a chance in a poor first-half display came close
to an equaliser after the break, but City held on to leap above Sheffield
Wednesday in the table.
The Potters started brightly as Mills sent a rising shot over the crossbar
from distance after six minutes, before Bjarni Gudjonsson fired wide from the
edge of the area with the first of two quick-fire chances for the Iceland
international.
He tested goalkeeper James Walker in the 10th minute with a fierce right-foot
drive, while the Saddlers stopper easily gathered a 25-yard attempt from the
lively Mills.
However, City's recent signing from Coventry did not have to wait long to open
the scoring.
Wayne Thomas played the ball through for the experienced forward to lash a
first-time shot into the top corner for his second Stoke goal and his eighth of
the season.
The home side pushed for a second before the interval, but struggled to break
down a stubborn Walsall rearguard.
The Saddlers had their first chance of the game in the 52nd minute as
Australian David Zdrilic blazed a shot high and wide.
Colin Lee lost the services of influential midfielder Fitzroy Simpson with a
calf injury shortly afterwards, Martin O'Connor coming on in his place.
And Mills nearly made matters worse for the visitors with a second goal after
55 minutes, but he managed to clear the crossbar from six yards.
Walsall began to look more threatening as the half progressed, Steve Corica
forcing a fine save from Banks with a fierce volley, while two headers from
Steve Barras and one from Zdrilic in quick succession sent Stoke hearts
fluttering.
Goalscorer Mills left the action with just over 10 minutes left, with Chris
Iwelumo thrown into the action.
The change gave Stoke renewed impetus, and after Chris Greenacre came inches
away from adding a second, Iwelumo was denied at the death by a stunning stop
from Walker with a volley on the turn from 25 yards.
TeamsStoke: Banks, Thomas, Handyside, Shtanuk, Marcus Hall,
Gudjonsson, O'Connor, Gunnarsson, Hoekstra,
Greenacre (Neal 85), Mills (Iwelumo 78).
Subs Not Used: Cutler, Cooke, Richardson.
Goals: Mills 19.
Walsall: Walker, Bazeley, Aranalde, Roper, Barras,
Wrack (Matias 61), Corica (Birch 73), Robinson,
Simpson (O'Connor 54), Junior, Zdrilic.
Subs Not Used: Ward, Sonner.
Booked: Junior, Matias, O'Connor.
Att: 10,409
Ref: P Armstrong (Berkshire).
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