Report: Saints suffer first defeat against leaders Stoke

The scores were locked level after a lively first half, where chances and challenges came in equal measure, but it was the visitors who forced the opener early into the second half through Lewis Baker.

Stoke were reduced to 10 men shortly after their goal when young forward Divin Mubama received his second yellow card for some tactless simulation, but the visitors did extend their lead on the counter through Sorba Thomas.

Saints forced a goal back from Taylor Harwood-Bellis and pushed in the closing stages, but were unable to produce more late heroics at St Mary's as the Potters took the points.

Will Still made just one change from the draw at Portman Road a week earlier, as Nathan Wood was handed a start - his first in the league since the final day of the previous Premier League campaign - in place of Joshua Quarshie.

On the bench, strikers Damion Downs and Ross Stewart returned having recovered from their respective illnesses, whilst recent signing Mads Roerslev also took his place in the squad.

Nathan Wood came into the starting line-up. (Photo: Matt Watson)

Stoke came into the game as league leaders after impressive consecutive wins in their first two games, but it was Saints who looked more lively in the opening exchanges in front of a vocal St Mary's crowd.

Inside two minutes, Saints had already carved out an excellent opportunity after neat interplay between Adam Armstrong and Mateus Fernandes inside the centre circle; Armstrong released Jay Robinson, who drove forward and returned the ball to the number nine whose eventual shot rolled wide of the near post.

In a free-flowing start to the game, Stoke's first chance came from a recycled corner that found captain Ben Wilmot, but his tame header was straight into the arms of Gavin Bazunu.

Saints responded and began to pour forward with a handful of early attacks, as Armstrong lashed an effort into the side netting and Shea Charles saw a header deflected off his own teammate and drop narrowly wide all inside the first 10 minutes.

Still was forced into an early change when Welington was stretchered off in the 21st minute and replaced by opening day difference-maker Ryan Manning, whose first contribution was a teasing cross that Ryan Fraser couldn't quite connect with in the area.

The game levelled out as the first half wore on, with chances being replaced by forceful challenges as the visitors grew into the contest.

Just after the half hour, Stoke striker Mubama connected with a looping header that Bazunu needed to tip over the crossbar as the ball dropped towards goal, before Saints rallied and came inches away from an opener at the end of the first half.

Flynn Downes burst forward from midfield and cut the ball back to Robinson, whose shot from edge of the box hit the post and ricocheted back out, only for the youngster to strike against the base of the same post again on the rebound.

Jay Robinson struck the woodwork twice as he came close to a second goal in as many games. (Matt Watson)

In the seven minutes of first half stoppage time, Stoke's Sorba Thomas and Million Manhoef both missed the target from range as the scores remained goalless at the break.

Downs was introduced for Armstrong in an attacking half-time change for Saints, who started the second period on the front foot winning two corners in quick succession.

Stoke went close themselves when Thomas struck a dipping volley from the edge of the box, which grazed top of the goal, before Saints returned to the ascendency; an outswinging corner from Fraser was met by a strong Harwood-Bellis header strong header that was somehow palmed away by Viktor Johansson.

In the 54th minute, the deadlock was eventually broken but not in the desired manner, as it was Stoke City celebrations that rang around St Mary's.

A low cross from Thomas reached Manhoef in the area, whose shot deflected off Wood and forced a reaction save from Bazunu, only for Baker to arrive first and crash the ball home to give the Potters the lead.

Less than five minutes later though, the visitors shot themselves in the foot as they received a remarkable red card; Mubama was played through on goal and tapped the ball past Bazunu, only to throw himself to floor in clear view of referee Josh Smith, who rightly dismissed the young forward with a second yellow card.

Saints' tails were back up as Robinson saw a shot blocked and Charles curled over from distance, as a comeback against 10 men was now the task at hand.

A pair of gilt-edged chances came and went for Still's side, as Downes arrived late to meet a teasing Fraser cross but diverted his free header wide, before substitute Ross Stewart connected with a delivery from the other wing but miscued the ball over just moments after coming on.

Then, certainly against the run of play, but no less deserved for their continued threat in transition, Stoke doubled their lead as a long throw forward from Johansson set Thomas away, who drove towards goal and fired low across Bazunu into the bottom right corner.

Reacting to adversity the right way once more, Saints did respond will and hit back with a goal of their own to quickly reduce the deficit when Harwood-Bellis shrugged off his marker to power home a header from a Fernandes corner in the 79th minute.

Saints were camped inside the Stoke half from then on as the visitors attempted to slow the game down at every opportunity; substitute Cameron Archer was next to go close as five minutes of stoppage time were signalled, but his header was deflected into the arms of Johansson in goal.

Fervent appeals for a Saints penalty in the dying moments of stoppage time were waved away after Manning hit the deck, and the final act saw the ball fall loose in the area to Jack Stephens, who couldn't repeat his opening day heroics as the offside flag was raised as he shot towards goal.

Southampton: Bazunu, Fraser, Harwood-Bellis, Wood (Stewart 67'), Stephens (c), Welington (Manning 21'), Downes, Charles (Roerslev 79'), Fernandes, Robinson (Archer 79'), Armstrong (Downs 45').

Unused substitutes: McCarthy, Edwards, Quarshie, Matsuki.

Goals: Harwood-Bellis (79').

Booked: Wood (57').

Stoke City: Johansson, Tchamadeu, Lawal, Wilmot (c), Cresswell, Seko (Phillips 70'), Baker, Junho (Bocat 70'), Thomas, Manhoef (Bozenik 81'), Mubama.

Unused substitutes: Bonham, Mears, Smith, Pearson, Donley, Fawunmi.

Goals: Baker (54').

Booked: Mubama (28', 59'), Seko (45+3'), Johansson (71').

Red Cards: Mubama (59')

Referee: Josh Smith.

Attendance: 28,922.