Stoke manager Tony Pulis was delighted with his side's first-half
display.as the Potters recorded a 3-2 victory over Fulham on
Tuesday night.
The Cottagers were stunned early on in the Premier League
clash at the Britannia Stadium as Tuncay Sanli nodded in a
close-range header from a 12th-minute corner.
Fulham then conceded goals to Abdoulaye Faye and Mamady
Sidibe twice within three minutes just after the half-hour. Damien
Duff pulled one back in the 61st minute with a deflected shot
before Clint Dempsey's stunning 35-yard volley five minutes from
time set up a rousing finale.
"I thought it was a very good first-half performance and we
could have scored more goals to be honest," said Pulis. "We really
pressed them in and got after them and I thought we did really well
and looked tight together.
"Fair play to Fulham in the second half, they came out and
pushed bodies forward and made it nervous for us."
On his side finding the goal trail again, the Stoke boss
added: "We have created good chances but just haven't taken them.
"I think there were eight good opportunities today we created
and we've taken three so I'm pleased."
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson was happy with his side's
second-half fightback, but was disappointed by their efforts before
the break.
"I thought we did well to come out in the second half after
conceding those disastrous goals in the first half," Hodgson said.
"You know when you come to Stoke, set-plays are going to be their
major goalscoring weapon.
"The players have shown a lot of character to make a game of
it in the second half.
"I didn't think we were particularly outplayed in the first
half but 3-0 in any league is a very difficult deficit to come back
from.
"I thought we gave it our best shot and I just wish the game
had gone on for another 10 minutes - who knows, we might have
sneaked one in."
The victory was Stoke's first since in the league since
November 22 and ended a run of six league matches without a win, in
which they had failed to score in all but one.
