Stoke City vs Huddersfield Town. Sky Bet Championship.
Bet365 StadiumAttendance20,372.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash at the bet365 Stadium
Wednesday 2 October 2019 05:59, UK
Juninho Bacuna's late winner heaped the pressure on Stoke manager Nathan Jones as his side were beaten 1-0 at home to Huddersfield.
Substitute Bacuna pounced in the 82nd minute to fire home for his first goal since March, and his effort proved enough to secure Huddersfield their first away league win since November 2018.
However, defeat for Stoke sees Jones' failing side rooted to the bottom of the Championship and put his position as manager under more strain.
Jones stressed in his pre-match press conference that he did not fear the sack.
But conscious of avoiding yet another defeat, the Welshman made three changes to his starting side.
Former England goalkeeper Jack Butland was dropped after what has been a calamitous start to the season, with Adam Federici his replacement.
Captain Joe Allen returned and so did defender Danny Baath in place of Nick Powell and Tom Edwards respectively.
Huddersfield boss Danny Cowley resisted the temptation to change his side despite having not won in his first three games in charge.
A credible 1-1 home draw with Millwall at the weekend meant Cowley kept faith with his team, including Liverpool loan goalkeeper Kamil Grabara.
Grabara's handling error denied the Terriers their first home win of the season, but the Polish 'keeper was given another chance to impress.
The visitors should have been ahead in the fifth minute but Elias Kachunga badly fluffed his lines. Karlan Grant teed the winger on the edge of the six-yard box but, with only Federici to beat, he miscued horribly.
Striker Lee Gregory had a powerful close-range shot brilliantly blocked by Terriers skipper Christopher Schindler with the hosts' first chance of the contest.
Midfielder Tom Ince lashed a left-foot shot well wide moments later but the next chance was not until just before half-time as both teams cancelled each other out.
Cameron Carter-Vickers whipped in a lovely delivery from the right touchline but Allen powered his header over the bar.
Danny Simpson's interception fell fortuitously into the path of Carter-Vickers three minutes after the restart, but his vicious dipping drive flew inches over.
Both sides made attacking changes with French winger Adama Diakhaby introduced for the visitors, while Jones brought on striker Tyrese Campbell to liven things up in attack.
Isaac Mbenza was also brought on by Cowley as another attacking option.
Gregory headed well over from a Sam Clucas cross with 20 minutes remaining, but the home side could not find the back of the net.
Substitute Campbell rifled wide of the left post as the Potters countered, but again there was a lack of quality with the finishing.
Gregory poked wide at the near post but it was Bacuna who won it at the death with his first goal of the season.
It was Cowley's first win as Huddersfield boss and a massive boost for the Terriers who have waited nearly a year for an away win, their first of the season.
Nathan Jones: "If I'm not getting the results I expect the inevitable to happen. But I'm not concerned. I was concerned after four days of taking the job, but I'm not concerned now. The league table doesn't lie after 10 games, we just haven't been good enough. It's a wonderful club and the fans and owners have given me lots of patience, but we've lost our way and something has to change.
"I've had nine months to turn things around and, for one reason or another, I've not done it. It's been tough on me and my family, but I just feel sad. It's a great club but it just hasn't worked out. I couldn't have given it any more, I've given it everything I can.
"We just haven't been good enough. We've lacked a killer instinct. There was a lot on the game and we got caught. I'm not sure it's my worst performance as manager, but we haven't been good enough. We lacked quality and belief in the final third and couldn't break them down. We weren't clinical enough."
Danny Cowley: "This is the type of gritty performance that you need to win games away from home. This win gives us something to build upon. This (the challenge) won't be easy, but we saw enough fight and spirit to know we can do something.
"We carried threat on the counter-attack, but we fought harder at the other end when necessary. The substitutes came on and made a real impact for us, including the goal after we got a foothold in the game. Tonight was a real squad effort. We're really pleased with the process, we've showed real resilience and determination."
