West Brom brought an end to Stoke’s perfect start to the Championship season after securing a 1-0 win which helped them maintain their unbeaten record and leapfrog their opponents in the table.
A first-half goal from summer signing Nat Phillips proved to be the difference between the two sides as the Baggies, whose manager Ryan Mason was serving a one-match touchline ban following his dismissal in the 1-1 draw with Portsmouth last Saturday, made it three victories and one draw from their opening four games.
Defeat for Stoke comes on the back of three consecutive wins that had moved them to the top of the standings prior to the weekend fixtures.
The visitors looked the sharper of the two teams in the opening exchanges, with captain Jed Wallace’s shot from distance an early sighter.
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Nat Phillips gives West Brom the lead at Stoke after a goalkeeper error.
They nearly took the lead in the 11th minute when Mikey Johnston’s cross forced back-pedalling Stoke goalkeeper Viktor Johansson to catch the ball and throw it away to prevent his momentum from carrying it over the line.
The game’s only goal arrived a few minutes later and it was a moment to forget for Johansson, who dropped Alex Mowatt’s corner at the feet of Phillips before the centre-back stabbed the ball home to register his first goal for his new club.
Stoke came close to equalising shortly before the break but Million Manhoef’s header was well saved by Josh Griffiths after the Dutchman had met Sorba Thomas’ delivery from the left at the back post.
The hosts continued to push for the leveller after the restart and nearly restored parity when forward Divin Mubama’s shot inside the box took a deflection and struck a post following some poor defending from Callum Styles.
Tempers began to flare just before the hour mark as Potters midfielder Bae Jun-ho caught Johnston on the edge of the area to spark a melee that resulted in bookings for West Brom midfielder Isaac Price and Stoke defender Junior Tchamadeu.
Soon afterwards, Baggies striker Aune Heggebo was inches away from getting a touch to a whipped delivery across the face of the goal.
Down at the other end, Bae controlled a headed clearance on his chest before hitting a right-footed volley just wide of the right-hand post.
Thomas’ long-range effort with 15 minutes of normal time remaining was palmed over the crossbar by Griffiths but Stoke were unable to find the goal they needed as their previously unblemished record took an unwanted hit.
The managers
Stoke’s Mark Robins:
“I think the difference was the fact they, in possession and out of possession, dropped deeper.
“They came after us initially but they got back in. They worked their socks off, so they deserve an awful lot of credit as well, while we were a little bit ponderous.
“In the first half, we were a little bit better in terms of trying get the ball forward and move the ball.
“You can’t take too many touches for a start so you’ve got to remain disciplined as to how we want to play and how we usually play.
West Brom’s Ryan Mason:
“They’re both at great ages in terms of centre halves. They’ve amassed an incredible amount of experience but then they have the quality as well.
“They know each other from Bournemouth, which was good.
“Chris literally came in yesterday, he trained a small tactical session and then went straight in.
“He showed incredible personality to do that and then to have Nat alongside him, I thought both of them led by example and gave us a real foundation to progress and win the game of football.”
