Match ends, Stoke City 1, Leeds United 0.
A Pascal Struijk own goal and Patrick Bamford's missed penalty brought Leeds United's three-match winning streak to a shuddering halt as Stoke City secured much-needed back-to-back Championship victories.
The Potters failed to capitalise on their first-half dominance against a lacklustre Leeds and looked to be heading for defeat when Ben Pearson clumsily brought down Bamford, just three minutes after the England striker had gone on as a substitute.
Bamford, without a goal since April, took the spot-kick himself but fired high over the bar.
The misery was complete for the travelling fans when Ki-Jana Hoever whipped a corner to the near post and Stoke striker Wesley's header cannoned off the bar, struck Struijk on the shoulder and bounced in.
Alex Neil's team was in a precarious position last week, perched just above the relegation zone, but a weekend win over Sunderland and this victory has seen them jump to 17th, just four points off the play-off positions.
They deserved the victory for an enterprising first-half display in which they pinned Leeds back, with Ryan Mmaee, twice, and Andre Vidigal both finding goalkeeper Illan Meslier perfectly positioned to keep out chances created by the attacking instincts of Hoever down the right flank.
Leeds reminded the home side of their attacking prowess in a brief burst of action, as Georginio Rutter fed top scorer Joel Piroe and Mark Travers was forced to save with his legs.
From the resulting corner Travers had to be sharp again to keep out Rutter's header.
Leeds stepped up a gear in the second half as manager Daniel Farke flexed his squad muscles by sending on Crysencio Summerville, Bamford and Daniel James.
Jaidon Anthony's jinking run into the box ended in a finish that did not match his trickery, and Rutter scuffed two decent chances as Stoke, for a change, were pegged back.
The game turned on a five-minute spell as Bamford's penalty miss was followed by Struijk's misfortune, with Hoever capping a fine game by producing a vital block on Summerville as the clock ticked down.
Stoke boss Alex Neil told BBC Radio Stoke:
"We were really good. In the first half there was a spell of about 20 minutes when we were really on top, but the goal wasn't quite there.
"In the second half the penalty let us off the hook, one of the rubs of the green that we've missed, and then we got the goal.
"To have two solid performances against two teams that are really good at this level, I was really pleased, especially as we are a brand new side. We're moving in the right direction.
"After Bamford missed the penalty the fans really rallied and you could see how that affected the players, that extra 10% came from the stands."
Leeds manager Daniel Farke told BBC Radio Leeds:
"Sometimes there are days when you are not there at your best and at these moments you have to dig in. I feel we did this because we showed steel, we defended really well and didn't allow many chances.
"Then step by step we pulled the game more and more on our side, especially in the second half.
"We created more chances and weren't able to convert them and then obviously you have to be clinical.
"The biggest chance was the penalty and you could feel in one or two moments that they used this altruism to create two set-pieces, and from the second they were able to score."
Line-ups
Stoke
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Travers
- 17Hoever
- 23McNally
- 5Rose
- 15ThompsonBooked at 62minsSubstituted forGoochat 76'minutes
- 6BurgerSubstituted forLaurentat 81'minutes
- 4Pearson
- 27Léris
- 12Johnson
- 7Cunha VidigalSubstituted forStevensat 90+1'minutes
- 19MmaeeSubstituted forWesleyat 76'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Gooch
- 3Stevens
- 13Bonham
- 18Wesley
- 20Haksabanovic
- 22Bae
- 24Tchamadeu
- 28Laurent
- 35Lowe
Leeds
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Meslier
- 22Gray
- 14Rodon
- 21Struijk
- 25ByramSubstituted forPovedaat 85'minutes
- 29GnontoBooked at 68minsSubstituted forSummervilleat 70'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 4Ampadu
- 44GruevSubstituted forAylingat 85'minutes
- 12AnthonySubstituted forJamesat 71'minutes
- 7PiroeSubstituted forBamfordat 70'minutes
- 24RutterBooked at 78mins
Substitutes
- 2Ayling
- 6Cooper
- 8Kamara
- 9Bamford
- 10Summerville
- 17Shackleton
- 20James
- 27Poveda
- 28Darlow
- Referee:
- Paul Tierney
- Attendance:
- 25,871
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home48%
- Away52%
- Shots
- Home12
- Away16
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away3
- Corners
- Home5
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home16
- Away11
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Stoke City 1, Leeds United 0.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Pascal Struijk (Leeds United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Post update
Foul by Daniel James (Leeds United).
Post update
Ki-Jana Hoever (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Booking
Crysencio Summerville (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Crysencio Summerville (Leeds United).
Post update
Lynden Gooch (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Stoke City. Enda Stevens replaces André Vidigal.
Post update
Corner, Leeds United. Conceded by Josh Laurent.
Post update
Corner, Leeds United. Conceded by Ki-Jana Hoever.
Post update
Attempt missed. Ian Poveda (Leeds United) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Luke Ayling.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Crysencio Summerville (Leeds United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Patrick Bamford.
Substitution
Substitution, Leeds United. Luke Ayling replaces Ilia Gruev.
Substitution
Substitution, Leeds United. Ian Poveda replaces Sam Byram.
Substitution
Substitution, Stoke City. Josh Laurent replaces Wouter Burger.
Goal!
Own Goal by Pascal Struijk, Leeds United. Stoke City 1, Leeds United 0.
Post update
Wesley (Stoke City) hits the bar with a header from the left side of the six yard box. Assisted by Ki-Jana Hoever with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Pascal Struijk.
Booking
Georginio Rutter (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Comments
Join the conversation
Absolutely predictable. Piroe would have at least got it on target.
SICK of Bamford, just not good enough for Leeds.
Last season Bamford took 2 and missed both
If we had got a penalty before he came on who would of taken it ?
If that player was still on the pitch, why did he not take it
that's Bamford taken 3 pen's in two seasons and missed the lot
Piroe striker playing as a play maker. Cannot defend corners and didn’t tonight.
Stoke score from a ricochet off the bar!
Manager picked the wrong players whereas Stoke players all gave 100% and got the luck.
Own goal. Just when you think they're turning the corner, normal service is resumed