Crouch feeds Arnautovic, but the Austrian has strayed offside as the game draws nearer to a close...
90' +2
Folivi looks to make a run in behind but Doucoure cannot find him with a low forward pass.
90' +1
C. Kabasele gets yellow.
Christian Kabasele receives a late caution.
90'
More hopeful balls hit in the direction of the Stoke area, but the urgency is beginning to seep out of Watford's play as the home side look destined to take all three points.
88'
It's that time of the game for a penalty area scramble, as Watford recycle the ball into the box following a poor Holebas corner, but the home defence stands firm as Ighalo attempts to strike on goal.
87'
Watford swing in a hopeful corner from the left, but Shawcross heads behind for another...
86'
Martins Indi seems to be fouled by Ighalo, but nothing is given, but his attempted one-two with Deeney comes to nothing as Pieters steps in and boots clear.
85'
We're into the final five minutes here in Stoke, as hope seems to be fading past for the Hornets to find a way back into the game.
84'
G. Whelan enters the game and replaces C. Adam.
Charlie Adam is replaced by Glenn Whelan for Stoke.
83'
CLOSE AGAIN!!! Shawcross almost grabs his second of the night as the ball drops to him kindly again after a shoddy attempt by Watford to clear the corner. This time his effort, on the rise, whistles past the post.
Minute
Description
82'
Arnautovic takes the ball in the area and tries to feed Allen, but his pass is too heavy and the Welsh international cannot quite reach it.
CLOSE! Walters almost makes it 3-0, but is denied by Heurelho Gomes. Walters burst past Britos and hared towards goal, and his fierce effort seems to be heading into the corner of the net, but Gomes palms it strongly behind.
81'
M. Folivi enters the game and replaces S. Prödl.
Sebastian Prödl makes way for young debutant Michael Folivi as Watford plot a way back into this contest.
80'
Watford enjoy some time on the ball, but Holebas' ball to Sinclair is too heavy and Stoke have a goal-kick. We're into the last ten minutes now, so the Hornets will have to strike soon if they're to find a way back into this contest.
77'
CLOSE! The corner is a clever one, and finds Sinclair unmarked on the edge of the box. His header is cleared off the line, before the ball is recycled back into the area and Prodl heads marginally wide of the target. A let-off for the Potters.
76'
A. Doucouré gets yellow.
Doucoure races onto a through ball, but Shawcross gets to the ball before him and concedes the corner.
Yellow card Abdoulaye Doucouré
74'
CHANCE FOR STOKE! It's almsot three in slightly bizarre circumstances as Crouch finds space at the far post to meet Afellay's cross, only to completely mistime his header. But, the ball rebounds fortuitously to Walters, who shoots straight at Gomes from three yards out.
73'
Watford continue to see plenty of the ball, as they have since Crouch's second, but seem unable to create any substantive opportunities. A misplaced pass from Kabasele sees Stoke get the goal kick.
71'
Afellay receives the ball on the edge of the box, and he strikes the ball with his laces, and is unlucky to see his drive whistle just past the post.
70'
The cross is inswinging towards Grant, but the Stoke stopper punches it to safety.
69'
J. Sinclair enters the game and replaces A. Guédioura.
Watford also use the break in play as an opportunity to make their second change, as Adlène Guédioura makes way for Jerome Sinclair.
Pieters is late on Kabasele and Watford have a free-kick in a good crossing position. Holebas will need to improve the quality of his delivery to make these count.
68'
I. Afellay enters the game and replaces M. Diouf.
Stoke make their first change as Mame Biram Diouf is replaced by Ibrahim Afellay.
66'
Last season's lethal strikeforce of Deeney and Ighalo combine well on the edge of the Stoke box, but Ighalo's strike is blocked smartly by Shawcross and Johnson mops up.
64'
Holebas cannot get any purchase on his cross and Diouf again clears for the hosts.
63'
The ball is teed up for Guedioura who takes aim and belts it towards goal, but a sprawling Diouf smothers the fierce effort and the ball goes out for a corner.
62'
Now then. Watford have a free-kick just outside the box in a good shooting position as Shawcross is slow into his challenge and kicks Deeney. Can they conjure something here?
61'
Stoke have managed to take the sting of that series of Hornets attacks, and are deliberately slowing the tempo of the game as they consolidate their lead. Arnautovic almost breaks free, but he is flagged offside as Britos manages to step up in time.
58'
A strong punch from Grant takes the ball away from Watford's onrushing attackers as Stoke withstand a mini-barrage from their visitors.
57'
Watford win their first corner of the game, but Diouf quickly makes it two as he heads Holebas' cross behind.
56'
A long throw causes problems in the Stoke box as Shawcross cannot clear properly ahead of Ighalo, resulting in a scramble in the area, before the Stoke backline are eventually able to clear.
53'
Peter Crouch tries a step over on the left touchline, winning a throw-in in the process, much to the amusement of the home crowd.
51'
Walter Mazzarri cuts an increasingly despairing figure on the sidelines as he watches his side's careless errors gift Stoke a two-goal lead. Holebas is the latest to test the Italian manager's nerve, skipping into a promising position on the left flank before firing his cross behind into touch.
50'
Watford had started the second half at pace, with Doucoure drawing a good save from Grant. But can they find a way back from two goals down?
49'
P. Crouch has scored a goal for Stoke City! Assist by C. Adam.
GOOOOOOOALLLL!!!! Peter Crouch makes it 2-0 to Stoke! Adam whips a fierce ball into the area, but Prodl really should do better, completely missing his attempted clearance. The ball then runs through to the veteran Stoke striker, who diverts it into the net via his knee. Could that be game over?
47'
CHANCE FOR STOKE! Well, this second half has started with a bang. Once again Arnautovic finds space on the flank, this time down the right, and finds Walters unmarked in the box, only for him to misjudge his shot and fire wide.
46'
O. Ighalo enters the game and replaces V. Behrami.
Behrami couldn't shake off that knock he received just before the break and he is replaced by Odion Ighalo.
CHANCE! Watford make a bright opening to the period through Doucoure, who turns cleverly just inside the Stoke box and belts the ball towards the top corner, drawing a strong save from Grant.
45' +3
R. Shawcross has scored a goal for Stoke City! Assist by C. Adam.
GOOOOOOOAL! Ryan Shawcross makes it 1-0 to Stoke on the stroke of half-time! It's dreadful defending from the visitors as Charlie Adam's corner is allowed to bounce in the area, allowing the Stoke skipper to pounce and place the ball beyond Gomes' dive into the bottom left hand corner of the net.
45' +2
Diouf and then Prodl give the ball away as the game seems to be drifting towards the break.
But once again, the impressive Arnautovic gets the better of Kaboul and crosses low into the box, forcing Prodl to reach and divert the ball away from Peter Crouch.
45'
Arnautovic gets us underway for the second period...
44'
Guedioura tries an inswinging low cross towards Deeney, but Shawcross clears. It's been an absorbing opening 45 minutes, without truly ever breaking into life. There's still a couple of minutes for either side to break the deadlock.
42'
Watford already have a lengthy injury list, and it looks to be getting even longer as Behrami hobbles off the pitch after receiving treatment. Odion Ighalo looked to be ready to take his place, but Behrami seems to want to give it until half-time to see if he can carry on.
40'
Arnautovic is fed by Adam on the left, and the Austrian weaves back inside on his favoured right foot and shoots for goal, but he is off balance and the ball flies high and wide.
37'
Adam's drifted free-kick is easily mopped up by the Watford defence. Can either side force an opening before the break?
36'
Joe Allen drives forward from midfield into space on the left flank, and wins a corner when his cross is deflected behind. Crouch is again the target, and although Watford partially clear, the hosts win a free-kick after a high boot from Guedioura.
33'
CHANCE! The tempo of the game has increased markedly in the last few minutes. This time Watford get forward, as Holebas finds Doucoure with a lovely disguised pass, but the big Watford striker inexplicably opts to pass to Guedioura and Stoke clear.
31'
Down the other end of the field, Deeney springs the Stoke offside trap, but can't find a teammate as the play catches up with him.
30'
CHANCE!!! Another deep cross into the Watford area finds the inevitable target of Crouch, and his header back across goal draws a smart save by Gomes down low to his right.
29'
Arnautovic is having fun on his return from suspension, again using tricky feet to escape down the left hand side, but he cannot get a cross in.
28'
Walters again causing bother down the Watford left, forcing Britos into a mistimed clearance, but the Stoke forward cannot capitalise.
25'
The hosts are starting to build up a head of steam and put pressure on the Watford back three. Walters fires a low ball into the box towards Crouch but the ball is hacked clear.
23'
Troy Deeney's strength almost sees him emerge onto the end of a hopeful ball into the Stoke box, but Johnson recovers well to clear.
22'
We're still waiting for a clear opening on goal here at the bet365 Stadium as the first half reaches its midway point. That Britos sliding challenge on Walters remains the game's best opening.
19'
M. Diouf gets yellow.
Jose Holebas plucks a raking Capoue pass from the skies, then cheekily nutmegs Diouf, who responds by hauling the Greek wingback to the ground.
Prodl wins the ball from a Kaboul knockdown and gets into the Stoke box, but his flashed cross across the face of goal cannot be converted.
17'
Peter Crouch continues to cause Watford problems with his aerial prowess, but he cannot direct a knockdown and Gomes easily gathers.
15'
CHANCE! Prodl and Behrami get in each other's way, freeing Arnautovic to hare into the box and square for Walters, seemingly for a simple tap-in, but Britos emerges from nowhere to pinch the ball from the Irish international's toe. What a chance.
13'
The game has got a little scrappy as forward raids from both sides end in disappointment with misplaced passes. Walters is latest to run the ball into touch from a heavy Allen pass.
12'
The free-kick is cleared as far as Holebas 30 yards from goal, but his effort sails high over the bar.
11'
Watford retain possession for a spell, and are rewarded when Guedioura is tripped by Pieters to give the visitors a chance to cross into the area.
9'
Arnautovic again springs free on the left side, and this time opts to drill a cross in low, but Prodl boots to safety.
7'
Doucoure finds some space in the Stoke area, but he cannot find space for a shot and they are able to clear.
6'
Adam again finds Crouch's head from a drifted corner from the left, but he cannot generate power on the ball and his header fades wide.
5'
Diouf holds off Doucoure's challenge and feeds Walters, who is felled by Britos giving the hosts a free-kick in a dangerous position out on the right.
Adam goes deep for the imposing figure of Crouch, who knocks it down for Diouf, but the Stoke wing-back cannot sort his feet out and his effort is tame and easily blocked.
3'
Arnautovic takes advantage of an underhit Behrami pass and skips down the left flank, but his cross is wayward and skews high into the stand behind Gomes' goal.
Adam comes deep to collect possession, but rifles an attempted through ball straight to Kaboul.
2'
Stoke have dominated play in the opening stages, and Diouf is almost in behind the Watford defence from a Crouch flick-on, but he is marginally offside.
1'
We're underway here at the bet365 Stadium...
Hello and welcome to the live text commentary for the Premier League fixture between Stoke City and Watford from the bet365 Stadium.
Both sides will be eager to arrest an alarming slump in form, with Stoke without a win in five league games and their opponents winless in four. The two sides met at Vicarage Road as recently as November, when Heurelho Gomes' own goal was enough to give Mark Hughes' men the three points. He'll be extremely keen for a similar result this evening.
Despite a rocky run, Stoke have still only lost one of their previous seven home games, and will hope that home advantage will give them a boost in their bid to drag themselves away from the relegation places. Veteran striker Peter Crouch will be out to score in successive Premier League games for the first time since February 2015.
Watford must bounce back from their miserable 4-1 defeat to Tottenham on Sunday, and are once again hampered by injury as Juan Zuniga and Nordin Amrabat miss out. The Hornets have had just two days to prepare for this fixture, but Walter Mazzarri will hope that his side's good recent form on this ground - they are unbeaten on their last four visits - can carry them over the line.
TEAM NEWS: There is a welcome Stoke return for Marko Arnautovic, who returns following a three game ban. Jonathan Walters is also recalled, meaning that Xherdan Shaqiri and Ibrahim Afellay drop to the bench.
Watford make three changes from the defeat to Spurs, with Miguel Britos, Christian Kabasele and Valon Behrami replacing Zuniga, Odion Ighalo and Craig Cathcart.
We're around 15 minutes away from kick-off here at the bet365 Stadium.
The half-time whistle blows at the bet365 Stadium and that late Ryan Shawcross goal has given Stoke a precious 1-0 lead.
Despite shading the opening period, Stoke looked to be going into the break on level terms with their injury plagued visitors, but Shawcross' neat finish just before the interval has given them the advantage. Walter Mazzarri has a real headache trying to plot a way back into this contest with only really Odion Ighalo a tried and tested alternative from the bench.
We'll be back with you the other side of the break for the rest of the action.
We're moments away from the restart....
FULL TIME: Stoke City 2-0 Watford
Goals from Ryan Shawcross and Peter Crouch either side of half-time give Stoke a comfortable win over Watford and sees the Potters leapfrog the Hornets in the Premier League table. It's deserved for Mark Hughes men after a comfortable, if not dominating, performance against an injury ravaged Watford.
It's five without a win now for Mazzarri's Watford, can they bounce back in the FA Cup on Saturday against Burton? That's all for tonight, thanks for reading.
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