Michael Steele - Getty Images
Stoke City saw their undefeated start to the season end at Stamford Bridge last weekend, so decided to get another first this week -- a win. Four straight draws and then a loss isn't very good for one's points tally, but Peter Crouch nabbed a first-half brace to dispatch Swansea City in a match that ended up far easier than anyone would have expected.
Some poor marking allowed the big striker to nod home a corner in the 12th minute, and good work in the box by Jonathan Walters set him up for his second just before halftime. Crouch nearly got a hattrick when he hit the crossbar from a Matthew Etherington cross, but Stoke didn't need his third goal. The visitors, save for a Luke Moore miss when one on one against Asmir Begovic when it was already 2-0, were toothless, managing just a handful of shots and most from long range.
It's a far cry from the scintillating performances with which Swansea opened up their season -- they're in freefall right now.


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