Stoke City 2-1 Sunderland: Set-piece woe, contentious calls and a big turning point explained

Sunderland were punished for slow starts to both halves as they fell to a second Championship defeat in as many games against Stoke City.

Jack Clarke cancelled out Ryan Mmaee's early strike in the opening ten minutes of the game but could not repeat the feat when Luke McNally scored early in the second half from a corner.

Here's the story of the game and its key talking points...

TWO EARLY GOALS - NOT A GREAT DEAL OF QUALITY

Two goals inside the first ten minutes suggested a thriller was in store but in truth, this was a fairly poor first half.

Sunderland will be hugely frustrated with Stoke's opener, an aimless punt downfield that they weren't able to deal with. It left Mmaee in acres of space to score, though the visitors felt the striker had used his arm to control the ball and the replays showed it was a tight call.

The response from the visitors was excellent, a superb run from Jobe right through the heart of midfield. Some clever footwork inside the box freed up space for the shot, and though Travers saved he could only palm it into the path of Clarke. From a matter of yards, the in-form winger was simply never missing.

Mowbray had opted not to go with a recognised striker from the start, with Mason Burstow perhaps one of those players whose late arrival from international duty the head coach said would make it difficult to pick. There were some echoes of the last meeting between these two as a result, albeit on a less scale, where without a focal point to hit his side were forced into playing risk balls into midfield.

It was far from a vintage Sunderland performance and they were perhaps fortunate that Stoke lacked the quality to make more of some promising breaks. Patterson was rarely tested, save from palming one long-range volley over the bar.

JOBE STANDS OUT - AND BA MISSES THE BIG CHANCE

Having played his part in the goal Jobe continued to impress, escaping some tight areas in midfield with some impressive close control. He also helped out at the other end, heading clear a Mmaee header from a corner that was most definitely headed for the far corner.

Sunderland increasingly gained some control towards the break and ended the half in the ascendancy. They ought to have gone in ahead, a terrible pass from Johnson into his own box finding its away to the alert Ba. He had to score, but on his weaker foot dragged his effort into the side netting with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Getting up to the tempo of the game, Sunderland were beginning to play their way through the press and find openings as a result. Ba's miss, though, would turn out to be the big turning point.

A TALE OF TWO SET PIECES

Another slow start to the half and another Stoke goal. The hosts immediately forced a corner and it was an excellent delivery from Johnson, an inswinger to the back post. Luke McNally towered above Niall Huggins and had a simple header, down into the goal with Patterson rooted to the spot.

Both sides traded half chances before Ballard almost levelled from a set piece, but his header from Dack's free kick bounced off the post and agonisingly clear.

SUNDERLAND PUSH BUT NO AVAIL

Mowbray repeatedly gambled as the game developed, throwing on attacking players as his side ended the game with no recognised central midfielder on the pitch.

A goal for one side or the other in the final quarter felt inevitable, with Sunderland piling bodies into the box but leaving huge gaps for the opposition on the break.

Generally it was Sunderland who forged the better of the opening and in truth, they were probably unlucky not to equaliser. They created a big chance Hume stood up a good cross to the back post, where Ballard made a good connection and headed back across goal. Substitute Aouchiche was there to meet it, but under pressure could head high over the bar.

From a corner shortly afterwards, Aouchiche delivered an excellent ball that Travers came for but got nowhere near. To his fortune, no Sunderland player could make the crucial connection.

The Black Cats felt they should have had a penalty with a minute left when Clarke was tripped by Hoever in the box, but the referee instead awarded a goal kick.

A POOR RESULT AHEAD OF A BIG TEST

This was a poor result for Sunderland against a Stoke City side who managed the contest fairly well in the second half but looked limited in possession throughout.

Sunderland played relatively well for large parts of the game, but were punished for some soft defending at the start of both halves.

The Black Cats will face a far stronger opponent in Leicester City on Tuesday night, and will have to be far closer to their best if they are to get anything out of it.

Sunderland XI: Patterson; Hume, Ballard, O'Nien, Huggins; Ekwah (Aouchiche, 74), Jobe (Hemir, 83); Roberts (Rusyn, 65), Ba (Burstow, 65), Clarke; Pritchard (Dack, 65)

Subs: Bishop, Seelt, Triantis, Rigg

Stoke City XI: Travers; Hoever, McNally, Rose, Stevens; Pearson, Burger (Thompson, 70), Johnson (Laurent, 70); Leris, Vidigal (Gooch 80), Mmaee (Lowe, 80)

Subs: Bonham, Gooch, Wesley, Haksabanovic, Junho, Tchamadeu, Lowe

Bookings: Johnson, 21 Huggins, 25 Hume, 34 Burger, 50 Pearson, 58 Clarke, 64 Thompson, 72 Stevens, 85 Aouchiche, 90

Attendance: 25,512 (2,590 away)