What Neil Thompson said about former Sheffield Wednesday star's late winner for Stoke City
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Fletcher, who joined the Potters on a free transfer last summer after making more than 120 appearances in four years at Wednesday, secured all three points for Michael O’Neill’s men with a goal seven minutes from time.
The winner came about when the 33-year-old Scottish striker turned in a knock-down from a corner to end Stoke’s 10-game winless streak in the Championship.
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Hide AdBut the late blow left his former side in deep trouble in the relegation zone and facing the prospect of falling further behind if clubs around them win their games tonight.
Speaking to the media afterwards, Thompson couldn’t hide his disappointment at losing the game and how his side had allowed Fletcher time and space to scramble home the winner.
“First half was very nip and tuck and we were very disciplined,” said Thompson.
"I knew it would be a physical type of game but we didn’t have too many problems.
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Hide Ad“But in the second half we never got started. We sat back further and further and it was a sucker punch at the end.
“You can’t give Stoke’s quality players that encouragement. I thought we’d weathered it and then you can’t lose (Steven) Fletcher in the box.”
Now Thompson will be hoping for a reaction when his side, which had won four of their previous six league games before last night, take on relegation rivals Birmingham City at Hillsborough on Saturday.
“We have to dust ourselves down and get on with it,” he said.
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Hide Ad“We have been inconsistent for a lot of the season and those performances keep creeping in. We didn’t ask enough questions of them and we have to bounce back quickly.”
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