Lampard strike is cruel blow for Potters (From Northwich Guardian)

Chelsea 2 Stoke City 1: reaction

6:21pm Saturday 17th January 2009

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SOMETIMES in life you get what you deserve. And sometimes, like Stoke City found out today, you don’t.

After 88 minutes, they were looking likely to take home all three points after a battling display against one of the best teams in Europe.

To lose the match was the kind of cruel twist of fate that football throws up.

City legend Denis Smith described it on Radio Stoke as a kick in the goolies. You’re not wrong, Smithy.

It was hard enough listening to the radio commentary as the game slipped away from our eleven heroes in red and white. Imagine what it was like being one of them.

More than 90 minutes of throwing yourselves into challenges, chasing players and getting in tackles.

Yet again we have taken on a team filled with world class players and pushed them to the limits.

Ian Probert finds reason for pride despite defeat at Stamford Bridge

Such is the closeness of the Premier League table that a win would have left Stoke mid table. A defeat probably leaves us in the bottom three.

Yet again we have taken on a team filled with world class players and pushed them to the limits. Remember it took Manchester United 83 minutes to pierce our defence at the Brit – and that was only after we were reduced to 10 men.

Chelsea found it even harder.

Most people, myself included, thought Phil Scolari had lost it when he was quoted as saying Stoke were one of the toughest teams in the world.

But when the dust settles after this latest disappointing away day, he will look like a man who knows his stuff.

Did any Stokie seriously expect to win at Stamford Bridge? I certainly didn’t.

The players will probably be emotionally shattered and physically drained, but they should head for Dubai knowing that they did their club proud.

With further proof that this is probably the gutsiest side in the Premier League, my message to the Stoke players is simple. As the famous song says, we will be with you every step along the way.