Match Stats: Leeds United v Stoke City – Opening Day Defeat For Rowett

Gary Rowett took his Stoke City squad to Leeds United and Elland Road for our 2018/19 Championship kick-off earlier today.

A mixed pre-season campaign for manager Gary Rowett gave both positives and negatives as we build up to the coming year but it’s still early days under his tenure, new players will gel more in the coming weeks and one match won’t decide anything.

That’ll be the message coming from the gaffer after we suffered a 3-1 defeat to Marcelo Bielsa’s side.

The hosts took the lead 15 minutes into the first half and they doubled their advantage in stoppage time before the halftime break. Although we did come out of the blocks and get on the scoresheet in the second period (a Benik Afobe penalty), it’s difficult to say that Leeds didn’t deserve their third just ahead of the hour mark.

It won’t have been the start Rowett wanted as he made his competitive bow for us in the dugout and we knew there was plenty of work left to do as the team gels, but it may temper some of the expectations that surround us this season and that might bring benefits of its own down the line.

On to the next one now as we search for the first three points of the year.