Forest 6 Stoke 0
four goals
By Matt Lond & J Bateman
February 23 2003
A goal glut from Forest and four from Marlon Harewood condemn Stoke City to the foot of the First Division.
6-0 Att: Striker Marlon Harewood scored four
first-half goals to help Nottingham Forest keep their promotion bid on track
with an emphatic victory over 10-man Stoke at the City Ground. Harewood volleyed
home his first two goals before completing his hat-trick with a close-range
finish, his fourth was from the penalty spot after Stoke suffered the double
blow of having Petur Marteinsson dismissed for handball, which led to the
spot-kick being awarded. David Johnson added a fifth at the start of the second
half before substitute Eoin Jess completed the scoring on what was a bitterly
disappointing afternoon for Tony Pulis' First Division strugglers. Forest
dominated the early stages and deservedly took the the lead in the 13th minute
when Harewood volleyed home after John Thompson directed a header into his path.
Harewood then scored a superb second in the 23rd minute with a volley, he then
went on to score the hat-trick goal a few minutes later as he converted Reid's
cross from the left. However, the Forest man was not finished yet and he
converted a penalty in the 45th minute after Marteinsson handled in the area. It
would have been easy for Forest to take their foot off the gas after the break,
but they refused to and Johnson added a fifth when he powered home a header from
Reid's assist in the 53rd minute. From then on the game drifted on towards the
final whistle until Jess fired home from the edge of the area to put the
seal on a miserable afternoon for the Potters.
Reports Courtesy Of Matt Lond
Nottm For
Stoke
Harewood 13,23, 27, 45
Johnson 53 Jess 85
