It was another defeat for Mark Hughes' Stoke side but they can take plenty of heart from a performance that in the end was frustratingly undone by a culmination of an over-zealous referee and Jon Walters' inability to put the ball into an open net. It was an end-to-end contest and one the Potters were more than in with a chance of getting a result from but their efforts in the defensive third sadly weren't matched by any inspiration or penetration further up-field as the match ended 1-0.
Positives
The side has been poor in defence for months now but Saturday saw a much-improved organisation and urgency on the back foot as they toiled admirably to protect Shay Given's goal.