Henrik Pedersen looked back on a difficult day for his Wednesday side as we went down 3-0 to Stoke in this afternoon’s Hillsborough opener in the Championship.

Conceding a second-minute goal was a nightmare start with the Owls boss reflecting: “It was a tough beginning to the game. We lost the ball in transition and gave possession away.

“But I think overall the first half was very equal. We did a lot of things right in the pressing and also on the ball, while creating possibilities.

“I had the feeling that there was more in the game for us. But then we gave ourselves a tough beginning to the second half as well with an easy ball behind and it was 2-0.

“Even after that we had chances, could have made one or two goals but the timing of their goals proved tough for us.”

Pedersen also spoke of the need to get more intensity into our game and said the coming week, without any midweek match, will also offer the opportunity to step this up in training.

He added: “The guys really, really tried but as I said in the dressing room we need these games to learn and to get the intensity into our bodies so we can play not only 45 minutes but 95 minutes.”