Goals conceded in each half saw another defeat on the road for Wednesday at Stoke this afternoon.

The after-match stats showed we shaded overall possession and had 16 shots but we posed few threats throughout, despite dominating the closing stages when we were already 2-0 down.

Stoke went closest to scoring in the early stages, Bosun Lawal allowed to break clear but shooting just wide from 20 yards on 15 minutes.

At the other end, Gabriel Otegbayo failed to connect properly from six yards out after a Svante Inglesson long throw and then Jerry Yates saw his header pushed away by keeper Gavin Bazunu on the half-hour mark.

However, it was Stoke who took the lead soon afterwards, Sorba Thomas bursting clear down the right and when his cross found Jesurun Rak-Sayki in plenty of space at the far post he slotted home from eight yards past Pierce Charles.

The home side went close to doubling their lead five minutes before the break when Rak-Sayki wriggled his way through several challenges in the box but Charles pulled off a great save to tip his low effort onto the post.

The Wednesday keeper was called into action again 12 minutes into the second half when he pushed out a header from Eric-Junior Bocat but Lamine Cisse was there to turn home the rebound from inside the six-yard box.

Bae Junho should have made it 3-0 but blazed over on 69 minutes and then Owls’ sub Olaf Kobacki went close at the other end when a close-range volley with the outside of his foot was blocked by Bazunu.

Wednesday were largely in the charge in the final minutes but failed to find that decisive final pass or shot and Stoke went nearest to a third goal in added time when we gave away possession and Charles had to come to the rescue to foil Bocat at the near post.

Charles, Fusire, Iorfa, Otegbayo, Palmer, M Lowe (Adaramola 58), Thornton (Chalobah 58), Ingelsson, Heskey (Moses 87), McNeill (Kobacki 58), Yates. Unused subs: Stretch, McGhee, Silcott-Duberry, Ndala, Grainger. Attendance: 25,450.