Sorensen makes point for Stoke

Thomas Sorensen was Stoke’s star man as Tony Pulis’s side held out to claim a point from a goalless draw at Premier League newcomers Birmingham City on Saturday.

The Danish goalkeeper did well to keep out Franck Queudrue’s powerful first-half drive and then surpassed that effort with a stunning stop to deny Blues striker Garry O’Connor after the interval.

That ensured an attritional encounter ended goalless, leaving both clubs with a return of one win and a draw from the opening three matches of the campaign.

Lee Bowyer made his first start of the season for Birmingham after completing a three-game suspension while Stuart Parnaby and Kevin Phillips came in for injured pair Gregory Vignal and Cameron Jerome.

Stoke boss Pulis restored midfielder Liam Lawrence and striker Ricardo Fuller to his starting XI with Richard Cresswell and Dean Whitehead making way from the side beaten 4-0 at Liverpool in midweek.

Stoke’s hopes of bouncing back from that defeat suffered an early setback when star striker James Beattie fell awkwardly after an aerial challenge with Blues goalkeeper Joe Hart and had to go off with only 12 minutes gone.

Neither side was showing much in the way of attacking inspiration and Queudrue provided the solitary moment of excitement in the opening period, venturing forward before unleashing a fierce 25-yard drive that Sorensen could only punch into the air.

A couple of Rory Delap’s trademark long throws caused consternation in the Birmingham box but Stoke were unable to capitalise, with Lawrence failing to pounce on one half-chance before Keith Fahey headed clear from under the bar.

With Reading dominating after the restart — albeit without generating any real chances — Birmingham boss Alex McLeish threw Ecuador striker Christian Benitez, the club’s record signing, on in place of the ineffective Phillips.

Bowyer made way for Sebastian Larsson and the former Arsenal forward soon generated Birmingham’s best chance of the match with a pinpoint cross for O’Connor.

The Scot’s header was sent goalwards with power but Sorenson reached it at full stretch.

Buoyed by that chance, Birmingham were soon looking the more likely winners but they were unable to find a breakthrough while the nearest Reading came to finding the net was when Fuller sent another Delap throw goalwards with his hand, earning himself a yellow card from referee Chris Foy.