Reckless Rhys is only talk of Town
RHYS NORRINGTONDAVIES’ ugly dismissal was the main talking point at the John Smith’s Stadium.
The Stoke left-back, on loan from Sheffield United, was shown a straight red card by referee Gavin Ward on the stroke of half-time for an awful lunge on the Terriers’ Juninho Bacuna.
Spanish right-back Pipa fired the hosts ahead with a deflected strike after five minutes but the Potters levelled through Steven Fletcher’s penalty in the 24th minute.
Huddersfield stopped the rot after five straight defeats but have failed to win since December 29, while Stoke have now gone nine matches without a victory.
Potters boss Michael O’Neill said of NorringtonDavies’ sending off: “At the time I thought it was harsh because he plays the ball, but I’ve looked back and I can understand it.
“It looks reckless and I think on that basis the referee is justified in giving it. Overall, I can see why he has given it.”
Huddersfield counterpart Carlos Corberan saw his side largely dominate the second half but fail to make their numerical advantage pay.
The Terriers lack firepower but the Spaniard said: “We should have had a minimum of three points.
“But we didn’t get the result we deserved because we didn’t do enough in the first half and we wasted some attacks in the second half.”
HUDDERSFIELD: Schofield 6; Pipa 7, Keogh 6 (Phillips 77th), Sarr 6, Toffolo 8; Bacuna 6, Valejo 7, O’Brien 7; Mbenza
6 (Pritchard 85th), Campbell 6, Aarons 6 (Holmes (59th) 6)
STOKE: Gunn 6; Collins 6, Souttar 7, Chester 6, Norrington-Davies 6; Allen 6, Mikel 7, Thompson 6; Clarke 7 (Cousins
(71st) 6), Fletcher 7 (Brown (58th) 6), McClean 6
STAR MAN: Harry Toffolo
REF: G Ward