The Blues’ game at Stoke City remains 0-0 at half-time.

Town made seven changes from the team which drew 0-0 with QPR on Friday with skipper Sam Morsy coming back into the side following his suspension along with Harry Clarke, George Edmundson, Kayden Jackson, Wes Burns, Nathan Broadhead and Axel Tuanzebe.

Out of the team were Cameron Burgess, who has joined up with the Australia squad ahead of the Asian Cup, and Freddie Ladapo, Dom Ball, Brandon Williams, Omari Hutchinson, Marcus Harness and Cameron Humphreys, who were on the bench.

While Broadhead and Burns, who was making his 100th Town league appearance, were over their illness, Leif Davis remained sidelined with his calf problem. Elkan Baggott was absent from the 20 having been on the bench on Friday after joining up with Indonesia, also for the Asian Cup.

Vaclav Hladky, making his 50th start for the club, was in goal with the back four of Tuanzebe at right-back and Harry Clarke on the left with Luke Woolfenden and George Edmundson the centre-halves.

Morsy was partnered by Massimo Luongo in the centre of midfield with Burns, Conor Chaplin and Broadhead behind striker Jackson.

Stoke made two changes from the team which drew 1-1 with Watford on Friday with midfielder Lewis Baker coming in for his first start since April for Ben Pearson.

Right-back Ki-Jana Hoever also replaced winger Sead Haksabanovic, while Lynden Gooch, Enda Stevens, Josh Laurent, Tyrese Campbell and Mehdi Leris were all unavailable due to injury.

Former Colchester man Junior Tchamadeu struck the game’s first shot from just outside the box in the third minute, Broadhead closing him down and deflecting the effort out for a corner.

The Potters had begun the game the stronger and two minutes later Baker hit a low drive from 20 yards which Hladky saved easily down to his right.

On six, following a free-kick on the left, the ball fell to home skipper Wouter Burger in the area, the Dutchman flicking the ball up and hitting an overhead kick against Woolfenden and out for a corner.

From the flag-kick, the Blues broke through Jackson, who was caught by Jordan Thompson halfway up his leg with his studs-up challenge. The striker was clearly hurt by the challenge and Thompson looked very fortunate not to have received more than the yellow card he was shown by referee Jamie Bell.

Town began to make some headway going forwards and in the 10th minute Morsy crossed from the right towards Clarke, the ball appearing to go out off Tchamadeu but referee Bell awarding a goal-kick.

In the 16th minute, Hladky claimed a cross-shot from the left following a corner, before the Blues played themselves into trouble on their right and the Czech keeper needed to make his first serious shot of the match, getting down to his right sharply to palm Ryan Mmaee’s snapshot from the edge of the area wide.

Town were trying to get their passing going, even if with one or two uncharacteristic mishaps along the way, Hladky playing the ball straight out of play among them, and on 20 tested home keeper Jack Bonham for the first time.

Clarke’s initial volley screwed well off target but found Chaplin 20 yards out in the middle from where the former Pompey man worked himself space before hitting a shot which Bonham saved to his right. Three minutes later, Broadhead cut in from the left but blazed high and wide.

Play was held up on the half hour after ref Bell suffered an injury and was replaced by fourth official Thomas Bramall, also from Sheffield.

Soon after, Jackson, with his back to goal inside the area, tried to backheel the ball through for Luongo, but the ball was too far in front of the Australian and Bonham claimed.

Moments later, Jackson claimed Bonham had picked up a backpass from a teammate but new ref Bramall wasn’t interested.

On 33, Bramall booked Morsy for a foul on Baker just inside the Town half, the Egyptian international’s 10th yellow card of the season, which means he will miss the next two Championship matches, Sunderland at home and Leicester away.

A minute later, Burns cut in from the right and struck a shot which deflected wide for a corner from which Chaplin headed the ball into the ground and wide.

In the 40th minute, Baker twisted and turned to work himself space not far outside the area but his tame shot failed to trouble Hladky.

Three minutes later, Morsy clipped over a cross from the right and Jackson nodded the ball against Potters centre-half Luke McNally.

As the half moved into three minutes of injury time, Baker tried another effort from distance, forcing Hladky to turn away his powerful low strike at a stretch to his right.

Just before the whistle, Town won a corner which came to nothing with the home fans applauding their team off.

The Blues had been better than on Friday but still without hitting their usual heights, although having had some long spells in charge.

Stoke had longer spells in charge and will feel that they had had the better opportunities with Hladky having made a couple of decent saves from efforts from distance.

Stoke: Bonham, Rose, Burger (c), Vidigal, Baker, Thompson, Hoever, Mmaee, Junho, McNally, Tchamadeu. Subs: Simkin, Gayle, Johnson, Wilmot, Wesley, Haksabanovic, Clark, Sidibe, Lowe.

Town: Hladky, Clarke, Woolfenden, Tuanzebe, Edmundson, Morsy (c), Luongo, Burns, Chaplin, Broadhead, Jackson. Subs: Walton, Williams, Ball, Humphreys, Taylor, Aluko, Harness, Hutchinson, Ladapo. Referee: James Bell (Sheffield) (Thomas Bramall (Sheffield) 31).

Photo: Matchday Images

Linkboy13 added 16:20 - Jan 1 Super Sam booked again misses next two games need to get cover for him in the transfer window.
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