Despite netting three goals, Huddersfield Town were beaten by Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium.
Town had taken the lead midway through the first half through Carel Eiting before a quickfire Tyrese Campbell double turned the game around prior to Isaac Mbenza’s leveller just before the break.
Stoke went into the half ahead following a Richard Stearman own goal and doubled that lead in the second period through Sam Clucas, with Naby Sarr’s header shortly after only turning out to be a consolation as the hosts held on to take all three points from an action-packed encounter in the Sky Bet Championship.
Carlos Corberán made three changes to his starting XI from the one that started in the final game before the international break.
Manchester United loanee Joel Pereira came in for his competitive Town debut with Ben Hamer unavailable, as he is currently in isolation for a confirmed contract/trace within his household.
Demeaco Duhaney and Isaac Mbenza also came into the Terriers side for the game at the bet365 Stadium.
A fortnight on from the last outing, Town returned to action with Stoke’s Sam Clucas getting the game underway in Staffordshire.
After a well-fought first half, the Terriers made the perfect start to the first of nine games in the period before Christmas.
Having made a lively start in the middle of the park, Carel Eiting fired home his second in successive games, volleying in Harry Toffolo’s flighted cross from the left to give Town the lead.
In what was an open encounter, the hosts hit back and quickly turned the game on its head.
A quickfire Tyrese Campbell just after the half-hour mark saw the Potters take a 2-1 lead with two goals in the space of three minutes.
The Stoke forward nearly had himself a third soon after. Steven Fletcher found his run with a neat flick, but Campbell’s shot was diverted away from the goal by Town debutant Joel Pereira.
Having kept the deficit at one, Town levelled the scores back up at the other end soon after. Eiting turned playmaker, neatly slotting in Isaac Mbenza who beat the offside trap and Joe Bursik in the Stoke goal to make it 2-2.
The hosts did restore the lead going into half-time, however, after Town were caught in possession high up the pitch.
It was Campbell involved again, winning the ball back before his powered effort across the penalty area was deflected in by Richard Stearman to put the Potters back ahead going in at half-time.
Just over 10 minutes after the break, Stoke Captain Sam Clucas extended that lead with an individual effort.
He drove in following a corner and fired through a crowd of bodies in the box to put the hosts 4-2 up.
Moments later, good work from Toffolo down the left won Town a free-kick which Mbenza found the head of Naby Sarr with to instantly reduce the lead back down to one on the hour mark.
The Terriers pushed for the equaliser as the game entered the final half-hour, with Eiting and substitute Juninho Bacuna both going close but without reward.
With the minutes ticking down, Mbenza hung a ball up to the back post that was cleared just before it could reach an unmarked Fraizer Campbell at the back post.
Late on, Danny Ward had Town’s best sighting of goal, but could only glance Toffolo’s looping cross wide as the hosts held on to take the points from an action-packed encounter at the bet365 Stadium.
Next up for Town is a visit to Adams Park to face Wycombe Wanderers in the Sky Bet Championship on Tuesday 25 November 2020; 7pm kick-off.
STOKE CITY (4-4-2)
Joe Bursik; Morgan Fox, Danny Batth, Harry Souttar, Tommy Smith; Jacob Brown (Nathan Collins, 66’), Sam Clucas (c), John Obi Mikel, Tyrese Campbell (Sam Vokes, 85); Nick Powell (Lee Gregory, 85’), Steven Fletcher (Jordan Cousins, 72’)
Unused subs
Blondy Nna Noukeu; Tom Ince, James Chester, Tashan Oakley-Boothe, Josh Tymon
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (4-3-3)
Joel Pereira; Harry Toffolo, Naby Sarr, Richard Stearman, Demeaco Duhaney (Juninho Bacuna, 59’); Jonathan Hogg (c) (Matty Daly, 87’), Lewis O’Brien, Carel Eiting; Josh Koroma (Danny Ward, 59’), Fraizer Campbell, Isaac Mbenza (Adama Diakhaby, 87’)
Unused subs
Ryan Schofield; Christopher Schindler, Jaden Brown, Aaron Rowe, Rarmani Edmonds-Green
REFEREE
Jarred Gillett
