Delighted Pulis pays tribute to Sidibe

STOKE manager Tony Pulis admitted that Mamady Sidibe’s dramatic injury-time winner against Aston Villa was an important milestone in what has been a difficult year for the striker.

The powerful forward came off the bench on Saturday to head home with seconds remaining to give the Potters a dramatic 3-2 win over Aston Villa in what was their first win in the top flight for 23 years.

Sidibe’s header from a Rory Delap long throw was even more poignant for Pulis after he helped the player’s rehabilitation following a horrific incident while the player was on international duty with Mali.

In October 2007 the 28-year-old was beaten and stabbed by a spectator during an African Nations Cup qualifier against Togo.

“Mamady nearly got killed less than a year ago,’’ Pulis said. “He still has the scars on his hands to show that and it obviously affected him.”

“He was in a terrible state when he came back over to us after the game against Togo and there were issues about whether he would even play for his county again but he has come over that. So I was pleased he scored today – Mamady is a great player and works very hard and you bring him on with 20 minutes to go he can be a real handful and he was against Villa.

“It is not just about goals with him. It’s what he contributes around the team that gets him picked.’’

Pulis believes it is important the victory over Villa, courtesy of Sidibe’s header, a penalty from Liam Lawrence and Ricardo Fuller’s strike, has proved they have the players necessary to beat the drop from the Premier League after being tipped as favourites to go down.

“The first year in the Premier League is all new and we hope that remains the case here, that it’s new and fresh and everyone wants to enjoy it,” Pulis added. “I think we have some hunger and quality in the team and Ricardo and Liam were two who showed us that today.

“Hopefully winning against Villa will help us get maybe one or two other players to this squad. We have got to develop as we go along. We know it’s going to be tough and up and down and have to make sure we stay as level as we can and not get too down when we lose or too elated when we win.”

Villa boss Martin O’Neill said: “On reflection on the whole game we should have taken something from it. That’s not to take anything away from Stoke. It was a great effort in front of their own crowd.

“We got the equaliser twice, and just in the last minute or two whatever you do, if you can’t win the game, make sure you don’t lose it and unfortunately we contrived to do that.’’

O’Neill also revealed that he is no clearer on the transfer saga involving Gareth Barry despite Liverpool’s interest appearing to have cooled with the Reds’ co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks reluctant to release funds for the deal.

The Villa boss is though keen to add to his own squad before the impeding transfer deadline.

“I don’t know anymore on it (Barry),” O’Neill said. “We are trying to get a few players in if it’s possible before the window closes.

“If we are going to cope with any sort of season ahead of us we would need to bring one or two more in.”

STOKE: Sorensen, Griffin, Cort, Abdoulaye Faye, Dickinson, Lawrence, Olofinjana, Delap, Amdy Faye (Diao 72), Kitson (Sidibe 76), Fuller (Cresswell 87).

ASTON VILLA: Friedel, Luke Young, Laursen, Davies, Shorey (Routledge 73), Petrov, Reo-Coker, Barry, Ashley Young, Carew, Agbonlahor.

Referee: Mark Halsey.