Stoke and dagger as City have to hang on

Apr 27 2008

Championship

STOKE came within seconds of clinching a debut season in the Premiership after Richard Cresswell's goal gave them a 1-0 win at relegated Colchester.

However, the Potters' celebrations had to be put on ice as news filtered through that Hull City had scored a late winner at home to Crystal Palace, keeping the race alive.

But Stoke are still in the driving seat with a three-point lead over the Tigers, meaning they need only take a point from their final fixture at Leicester.

Cresswell's goal at Layer Road came in first-half stoppage time.

Liam Lawrence fired the ball towards goal and it went in off Cresswell's knee to give the Potters the lead.

Hull captain Ian Ashbee was the man who kept his side's hopes alive when he powered home a magnificent header five minutes from time in their 2-1 win.

It was a goal that dented the Londoners' play-off hopes, although they are still in the frame.

Fraizer Campbell had put Hull in front but Scott Sinclair equalised in the closing stages of the first half.

Elsewhere Coventry City eased their relegation worries with a 1-1 home draw with Wolves - a result that did little for the Molineux side's play-off hopes.

Elliot Ward gave the home team the lead after 18 minutes, but Sylvan Ebanks-Blake equalised from the spot early in the second half.

Ipswich's play-off hopes were dented when they could only manage a 2-2 draw at Preston while another club with Premiership ambitions, Watford, slumped to a surprise 1-0 home defeat at the hands of relegated Scunthorpe.