It’s going to Pott for under-fire Rowett
GARY ROWETT needs to find a relegation hangover cure rapidly for his Stoke players – after his home debut hit the boos.
The Potters boss’ bet365 Stadium bow was one to forget and the jeers will be ringing in his ears for days.
Despite the gift of a goal for Benik Afobe, a second wake-up call inside a week underlined how tough life is in the Championship and Rowett wants his players to stand up and be counted.
Brentford carried on where Leeds left off last Sunday but deserved far more than just an Ollie Watkins equaliser.
And Rowett had a sharp message for the bookies’ pre-season promotion favourites. He said: “We need to stop feeling sorry for ourselves. There has been a lot of talk about promotion.
“We need to forget that and work hard. We have got to get down to that quickly. Our confidence is not what it should be. Players were nervy and edgy. I understand it but we have to be better.
“My message is that we have to wake up. It’s no good being a good player on paper, you have got to show it.”
Neal Maupay picked the pocket of Ryan Shawcross but was denied by Bruno Martins Indi’s lunge, before shooting wide with only Jack Butland to beat.
Only a dreadful mix-up between goalkeeper Daniel Bentley and defender Chris Mepham in trying to deal with Shawcross’ long ball broke Brentford’s dominance.
Afobe pounced after Bentley’s decision to leave his area proved calamitous as Mepham’s back-header sailed beyond him.
That could have ruined Brentford’s day but the character they showed delighted their boss.
“We gave them a goal and it lifted the place, but we showed tremendous character,” said Dean Smith.
“We were the better team in the second half and deserved to win. Stoke have a squad of talented players and to come here and dominate the game like we did is very pleasing.”
Watkins grabbed the equaliser with an excellent finish from outside the area, after exchanging passes with Maupay.