Stoke City find positives but need to make big moments go their way

The pre-match press conference at the Huddersfield end was surreally macabre. Danny Schofield had only been in charge of two league games, both defeats, and he was asked if it was a crisis, if he really had authority with the players and if his third game in charge was a must-win.

The response from more than one Stoke fan was that, if it was Stoke in their shoes, there would seem to be no way out of the hole… and with Stoke as the opposition, there was only one result. The half empty glass of a football supporter but, miserably, how it transpired. It shouldn’t, if only Stoke could have made the big moments count in their favour.

They had a glorious chance to take the lead mid-way through the first half, for instance, with a penalty when Josh Ruffels kicked Josh Laurent in the chops. But Lewis Baker saw his low effort saved then Jacob Brown clipped a shot into the post.

Instead, they went in behind after Yuta Nakayama stole in behind Connor Taylor to meet a Sorba Thomas corner and power a header over Joe Bursik.

Baker made amends with a terrific low long ranger and, from that position, Stoke seemed sure to put pressure on for the winner. They thought they’d got it when Dwight Gayle lost his marker and headed in Will Smallbone’s deep cross but to his surprise the offside flag was raised.

Within a minute, it was 2-1 to the home side when Tom Sparrow – in for the injured Harry Clarke at right wing-back – was caught out playing a pass inside deep in his half. Duane Holmes raced through and squared for Danny Ward to tuck away.

Two soon became three when Jack Rudoni timed a pass to send Holmes through again. He had yards of space to himself but it was a teammate, Jordan Rhodes, who caught up to receive a pass across the