Stoke City 2 Fulham 0:LITTLE MORE than a Rory Delap long throw from the Britannia Stadium lies George Eastham Avenue, celebrating the scorer of Stoke's winning goal in the 1972 League Cup final.
The roads in this part of the Potteries do not have to be renamed just yet – and the Danny Higginbotham Boulevard would be a mouthful anyway – but the left-back’s goal, coupled with a Kenwyne Jones header, ensured progress to the last 16.
Cup runs took Fulham to such diverse destinations as Donetsk, Perm, Turin and Hamburg in the Europa League last year. In that context, a trip to Stoke was not the most exotic. Nevertheless, Mark Hughes’s team selection was a declaration of intent with Zoltan Gera the only newcomer.
Tony Pulis opted for a blend of fringe players and first choices, a policy that appeared justified by the personnel involved when his side struck. Matthew Etherington, one of four to retain his place from the weekend, delivered a right-wing corner that Mark Schwarzer missed. A flying Higginbotham, playing his first game for four weeks, headed in emphatically.
It constituted the reward for a forceful start. Schwarzer had already denied Ricardo Fuller while Brede Hangeland’s last-ditch block thwarted Jones.
Fulham, meanwhile, had been limited to a Hangeland header and a long-range shot from Gera, both gathered by Asmir Begovic.
The goalkeeper’s presence was a curiosity – he had opted out of the second-round win over Shrewsbury at a time of speculation that Chelsea were readying a bid. His return to the Stoke side came in the same competition.
It almost brought embarrassment, however. Begovic spilled Gera’s seemingly unthreatening cross, diverting the ball towards Clint Dempsey. The American adjusted his body adeptly to volley, but hooked his effort over the unguarded goal.
Stoke almost doubled their lead within 20 seconds of the restart when Jones powered through and drilled his shot narrowly past the far post with Schwarzer defeated.
Victory was secured, however, in trademark fashion. Delap was brought on and he hurled the ball to the far post where Jones headed in his third goal in as many games.
GuardianService
STOKE CITY:Begovic, Higginbotham, Huth, Shawcross, Wilkinson, Whelan, Diao (Delap, 68), Tuncay (Pugh, 83), Etherington, Jones, Fuller (Walters, 75). Subs not used: Sorensen, Gudjohnsen, Soares, Tonge. Goals: Higginbotham 23, Jones 79
FULHAM: Schwarzer, Kelly, Salcido, Hangeland, Hughes, Gera, Murphy, Etuhu, Dempsey, Davies (Johnson, 57), Dembele (Greening, 90). Subs not used: Etheridge, Pantsil, Baird, Riise, Halliche.
Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire).
