Stoke City got their Premier League campaign off to a winning start after comfortably beating Burnley 2-0.
Premier League new boys suffer first day defeat
Stoke City got their Premier League campaign off to a winning start after comfortably beating newly-promoted Burnley 2-0 at the Britannia.
The Potters picked up where they left off last term with a solid display as Burnley struggled to deal with the aerial threat with Rory Delap's long throws a constant menace.
Both goals came from set-pieces in the first half with defender Ryan Shawcross finding the net with his head from Liam Lawrence's free-kick on 19 minutes.
The second arrived on 33 minutes and this time it was the unlucky Stephen Jordan who put the ball into his own net after Delap had launched another stinging throw-in into the penalty area.
The defender allowed the deep ball to strike his head past the unsuspecting keeper Brian Jensen in the Burnley goal as Stoke took a commendable lead into the break.
Owen Coyle reorganised his side for the second half and the Clarets came out with some positive football but could not find a breakthrough as they struggled in the final third.
The defeat is a stark reminder of the task his men face and Coyle will be hoping for his strikers to be more clinical in front of goal when they host Manchester United on Wednesday.
Coyle fielded nine of the side that started the Championship play-off final in May, with summer signings Tyrone Mears and Steven Fletcher the only new faces.
Chances
The Clarets had the first chance of the game after Wembley hero Wade Elliott drilled in a low cross from the right but Robbie Blake's shot was blocked by Andy Wilkinson.
Stoke's first effort on goal was fired well over by Delap but the Irishman was a far greater threat with his trademark throw-ins.
The midfielder gave Burnley an early test from the right but Mears headed clear.
Blake then had a shot comfortably saved by Thomas Sorensen but Stoke took charge of the game in the 19th minute after Ricardo Fuller was fouled on the left by Elliott.
Lawrence swung in the resulting free-kick and Shawcross rose unmarked at the far post to head past Brian Jensen.
Martin Paterson reached the byline as Burnley responded but his cross was put behind for a corner and their short routine from the set-piece did not worry the hosts.
Elliott also tested the Stoke defence as Burnley enjoyed a good spell but his cross was cut out and Potters debutant Dean Whitehead broke up another move inside the box.
After a quiet period, Stoke burst back into life as Matthew Etherington broke clear and Clarke Carlisle cut out his effort at the cost of a throw-in.
That proved costly as Delap launched a familiar long delivery from the left and the ball was diverted in by the unfortunate Jordan after 33 minutes.
A corner from Lawrence then caused further uncertainty in the Burnley box and the ball was put behind uncertainly by Mears.
Blake fired a free-kick over for Burnley, who later appealed for a penalty after Wilkinson appeared to handle in conceding a corner but referee Steve Bennett was not interested.
Stoke almost had a third goal before the interval but the ball was cleared off the line by Mears after Fuller caught Jensen off his line by meeting a Lawrence free-kick with a looping header.
Elliott had the first effort of the second half with a fierce long-range shot that dipped just over the bar.
At the other end James Beattie met a cross from Etherington on the volley but his effort went just wide.
Burnley's best opportunities started to come just before the hour as Graham Alexander crossed low into the box from a free-kick.
Blake had a clean shot blocked and Chris McCann then fired at a defender in a crowded penalty area.
Spirit
Burnley continued to show spirit and Blake forced Sorensen to save with a low shot from a free-kick.
Fletcher then found good space on the left but Sorensen tipped his fierce drive around the post for a corner.
Burnley's good work was almost undone as Jordan felled Beattie on the edge of the area but the former Everton and Southampton striker put his free-kick over.
Sorensen then failed to collect two crosses as Burnley applied further pressure, before Kitson almost scored.
Kitson was an immediate threat after replacing Beattie and was unfortunate to see a powerful shot rebound off the post after turning Jordan in the area.
| Stoke City |
Team Statistics |
Burnley |
| 2 |
Goals |
0 |
| 2 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 4 |
Shots on Target |
3 |
| 8 |
Shots off Target |
5 |
| 1 |
Blocked Shots |
6 |
| 3 |
Corners |
6 |
| 16 |
Fouls |
10 |
| 3 |
Offsides |
0 |
| 1 |
Yellow Cards |
2 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 58.3 |
Passing Success |
73.2 |
| 16 |
Tackles |
11 |
| 43.8 |
Tackles Success |
72.7 |
| 36.9 |
Possession |
63.1 |
| 41.6 |
Territorial Advantage |
58.4 |
|
