Stoke are yet to win in the league this season and Hughes said: “It was an opportunity for some of the players who haven’t played yet, and some of them certainly did their cause no harm whatsoever”.
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Boss Kit Symons was pleased with the overall display from his Fulham side and their never-say-die approach.
Mark Hughes’ side ultimately held firm to progress at Craven Cottage – as well as secure their first victory this season since a penalty shootout triumph over Luton Town in August in the previous round.
“We had to dig in and we had to be defensively solid as a whole team and I thought to a man we were exactly that as well”.
Odemwingie was then wasteful from close range before Dan Burn shot against the bar for Fulham late on.
And Stoke were nearly made to pay when Given’s poor clearance fell to Lasse Vigen Christensen, but the Denmark Under-21 international’s speculative looping effort dropped wide of goal.
“It was important to win, get the job done and keep a clean sheet”.
“It just would not go in for us but there are a lot of positives to take”.
Nigeria global and Stoke City forward Osaze Odemwingie on Tuesday, September 22 started his first game in one year.
“Both clubs are fighting to go back up again”.
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“We’re looking forward to QPR, and it’s on TV; it’s a really important for us and them”.
