My (Adrian) first visit to the Bet365 Stadium since early 2016 when Premier League fare was on offer. How times have changed, numerous managers and what seems like a club making very little progress.
They have filled in one of the corners of the stadium since my last visit joining two stands together but you wonder why, the area was completely empty.
This second tier game was very much a one sided affair as league leaders Leicester City outclassed Stoke City. Indeed some would say the score should have been even more emphatic. Leicester were excellent, Stoke I’m afraid a shambles.
Leicester were 2-0 up in half an hour. A Patson Daka tap in after an excellent cross into the box by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall had been headed across goal by the dangerous Fatawu. The second was a deflected shot by Kasey McAteer wrong footing the keeper as it came off the luckless Ben Wilmot.
McAteer was lucky to stay on the field after an altercation with Stoke captain Wouter Burger. He pushed Burger to the ground receiving a yellow card, it could easily have been red. Not surprisingly he was withdrawn at half time.
Stoke immediately made subs into the second period, 4 substitutes on after 60 minutes, they did pose a bit more menace but Leicester appeared to cope.
A Daka penalty on 66 minutes wrapped up the game after Wout Faes’ buccaneering run was ended by a foul from Jordan Thompson.
With the game won, Leicester boss Enzo Maresca started to bring players off after a hectic week and substitutes were quickly involved in the action in the best goal of the day. James Justin and Jamie Vardy combining for a 4th goal on 78 minutes. Brilliant play by the visitors, the move started in their own penalty area, Winks found Justin on the right and his wonderful low cross was fired home by 37 year old Jamie Vardy.
Vardy still has the energy and pace of someone 10 years younger and he wasn’t finished yet scoring a penalty 8 minutes into stoppage time after a Leicester break away came to an unceremonious end Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall being brought down by Michael Rose.
The stoppage time board of 8 minutes was greeted with boos from the home fans, they just wanted the game over many had already headed for the exits 30 minutes before.
They have had a disappointing last few years of false hope and clearly enthusiasm is not high, we never even got a rendition of Delilah.
Only time will tell whether Steven Schmacher’s decision to leave Plymouth for the Potteries was a wise one. On today’s showing, he has a big job on his hand. It will need time, will he get it I wonder?
For Championship leaders Leicester, their best result and performance of the season, they could have scored more such was the gulf in class. Can anyone deny them a return to the Premier League?
A very happy journey home across the A50 for the sell-out away section.
Ross and Adrian's Stadium Guide 