Pulis avoids Pot roasting SCARS & STRIPES
TONY PULIS failed to get one over his old side Stoke City and he admitted: “It would have killed me to lose against them.”
The 62-year-old desperately wanted it to be third time lucky in his new berth at Hillsborough, with one loss and now two draws at the club.
And right at the death, it looked like Stoke sub Sam Vokes would clinch it for Pulis’ former outfit before Owls’ keeper Joe Wildsmith kept out his effort with his feet.
Overall, the game was a tough but unspectacular stalemate, but Owls’ winger Kadeem Harris had two super first-half efforts on goal.
His first shot zipped just wide, and his second was blocked a yard off the Stoke line by John Obi Mikel.
Pulis admitted: “The lack of goals is the clear problem, with only seven goals in 14 Championship games at this club. Kadeem was a threat but his end product needs to improve.”
Potters boss Michael O’Neill, marking his 50th game in charge, said: “A year ago we were rock bottom and the only way was up. We did the job, strengthened the side, and now we want to be at the other end of the table.”
A point apiece was fair overall, but at least Pulis – in charge at Stoke for 10 years in two spells – maintained his unbeaten run of 12 games against his former club.
The best first-half chances fell to Wednesday winger Harris, whose fierce blast zipped the wrong side of a post.
His second long-range drive being blocked by Obi Mikel just a yard or so off his own goalline, with young keeper Joe Bursik looking beaten.
After the break, Owls were on the back foot as striker Tyrese Campbell threatened to add to his six-goal tally, only for his effort to be pushed for a corner by keeper Wildsmith.
And the keeper was in action again as he pushed over for another corner from the head of Vokes, on for the injured Lee Gregory.
Then home sub Jordan Rhodes looked set to break the deadlock as he bore down on goal.
But defender Danny Batth saved the day for Stoke as he won the battle for the ball.
Poor Rhodes was then subbed as a sub, clearly dejected as he trudged off.
SHEFF WEDS: WIldsmith 7; Palmer 6, Lees 6, Borner 7, van Aken 5; Harris 7 (Orubajo 82), Luongo 6, Bannan 7, Shaw 6 (Rhodes 45, 5 then Brown 84), Reach 7; Paterson 7.
Unused subs: Dawson, Pelupessy, Penney, Dele-Bashiru, Hunt, Kachunga.
STOKE CITY: Bursik 6; Collins 6, Baath 8, Chester 6, Fox 6; Obi Mikel 7 (Cousins 76), Clucas 7; Powell 6; Campbell 7, Gregory 5 (Vokes 25, 6), McClean 6 (Brown 78),
Unused subs: Nna Noukeu, Lindsay, Ince, Smith, Oakley-Boothe, Tymon.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Danny Baath .
Stoke’s dependable defender won his battles and kept the Owls at bay.
Tim Robinson 7.