Beattie's goals could keep us up (From Northwich Guardian)

Beattie's goals could keep us up

11:00am Thursday 5th March 2009

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IT is hard to feel anything but positive about last night’s victory over Gary Megson’s hard working Wanderers.

One victory does not guarantee that the Potters will play Premier League football next season, but it was a huge psychological lift.

Beating a team that had won three of its previous four games and not letting in a goal is testament to the spirit and the defensive skill in the side – remember this was the team who put three past us in a calamitous first 15 minute spell on the first day of the season.

Two of those goals were from set pieces and clearly that is an area where Stoke’s defence has improved.

If the difference between staying up and going down is having a reliable striker then the Potters are as good as safe. James Beattie’s five goals in just six matches is an incredible return

Ian Probert finds hope in the Potters' striker

Abdoullah Faye and Ryan Shawcross are now a pretty formidable central defensive pairing and our full backs Danny Higginbotham and Andy Wilkinson are solid, reliable players at this level.

If the difference between staying up and going down is having a reliable striker then the Potters are as good as safe. James Beattie’s five goals in just six matches is an incredible return for a newcomer to the team.

He brings everything that Sidibe did to the table, but he scores goals as well.

No-one wants our other scorer last night, Ricardo Fuller, to be rushed back into the starting line up but you can imagine defences sweating about having to face a Fuller-Beattie partnership.

Our next game away at Everton will probably prove a sterner test despite their difficulties in finding a fit striker.

But after that March 14 game, our fixture list reads: Middlesbrough at home, West Brom away and Newcastle at home.

That run of fixtures gives Stoke the chance to put daylight between them and some of the other relegation contenders.

Surely we have to believe that we can win all three of those matches, which would put us in a fantastic position with six games still to play.

With the last game of the season against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, no-one wants to leave it that late to ensure we stay up.

But at least for now, we can dream…