Terriers miss out VITAL STATS
RHYS NORRINGTON-DAVIES’ ugly dismissal was the talking point of a draw which kept both these sides still winless in 2021.
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 Juninho Bacuna.
Spanish right-back Pipa fired Town ahead with a deflected strike before the Potters levelled through Steven Fletcher’s penalty before the break.
Huddersfield stopped the rot after five straight defeats but have failed to win since December 29, while Stoke have gone nine matches without a win.
Potters boss Michael O’Neill, whose side have now registered six successive away draws, said of Norrington-Davies’ 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 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 insisted: “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 led inside the fifth minute when Harry Toffolo’s cross fell to Pipa around 20 yards from goal and he hit a shot past Angus Gunn.
Then on-loan Tottenham winger Jack Clarke won a penalty from a tackle by Naby Sarr and Fletcher stepped up to equalise.
HUDDERSFIELD: Schofield 6; Pipa 7, Keogh 6 (Phillips 77, 6), Sarr 6, Toffolo 8; Bacuna 6, Valejo 7, O’Brien 7; Mbenza 6 (Pritchard 85), Campbell 6, Aarons 6 (Holmes 59, 6).
Unused subs: Pereira, Duhaney, Crichlow, Brown, Jones, High. STOKE: Gunn 6; Collins 6, Souttar 7, Chester 6, NorringtonDavies 6; Allen 6, Mikel 7, Thompson 6; Clarke 7 (Cousins 71, 6), Fletcher 7 (Brown 58, 6), McClean 6.
Unused subs: Bursik, Batth, Vokes, Smith, Oakley-Boothe, Clucas, Matondo. MAN OF THE MATCH: Harry Toffolo. The Town skipper proved a constant menace down the left flank.
REFEREE: Gavin Ward 7.