Stoke City 1-1 Aston Villa: Albert Adomah rescues point for Villa
- Published
Albert Adomah (left) scored 15 goals in all competitions for Aston Villa last season
Aston Villa denied Stoke City a first win in six games as Albert Adomah's first goal since March 2018 was enough to secure a point at the Bet365 Stadium.
The Potters took the lead in the fifth minute when Sam Vokes smartly backheeled a Sam Clucas cross from the left flank past Jed Steer to register his first goal since his January move from Burnley.
After Steer had denied Tom Ince, Adomah equalised just after the hour mark when he side-footed Anwar El Ghazi's cutback into the bottom corner.
Stoke keeper Jack Butland then made brilliant saves to keep out efforts from Tammy Abraham and Tyrone Mings, while Villa midfielder Conor Hourihane sent a free-kick over the bar as the visitors finished the stronger.
Butland's saves, the latter tipping over a looping header from Mings in stoppage time, were fitting on a day when the hosts celebrated the life and career of legendary former England goalkeeper Gordon Banks.
World Cup-winner Banks, who was in the Stoke side which won the League Cup in 1972 - the club's only major trophy - died this month at the age of 81.
Flowers and tributes were laid at his statue outside the stadium, home supporters held cards up to form a mosaic in the stands before the match and Butland wore a special plain green jersey.
Stoke remain 17th, with Nathan Jones' side having won only one of their past 11 Championship games.
Villa, too, have struggled for form in recent weeks and find themselves slipping a place to 11th, eight points off the play-off places following a run of one win in 10 league outings.
Stoke City manager Nathan Jones told BBC Radio Stoke:
"I thought first half we were good and second half we just seemed to go into our shell a little bit and were very passive.
"We've had a few passive second halves when we haven't really been on the front foot and I'm a little bit disappointed with that because after scoring a wonderful goal to take the lead you want top go and build on that and get the second goal.
"We took a step back and waited, it's symptomatic of what they've been going through for a long time, so it's a mentality shift really, but I was disappointed with how passive we were in the second half.
"They gave me everything and they worked hard but to be honest I want us to be a front-footed side that goes after teams in the second half, we were just waiting to see what Villa did and reacting from there."
Aston Villa manager Dean Smith told BBC Radio WM:
"I wasn't happy at half time, I got into the players a little bit, but that was nothing to do with the shape, system or style of play, more down to our body language when we gave balls away.
"Both teams were very sloppy in the first half, gave balls away very cheaply, and I felt we all looked at each other as if it wasn't our mistake and we were playing alright.
"Second half it was a much better display, I thought we were dominant, created the goal and probably should have scored mote and won the game."
Gordon Banks' statue at the Bet365 Stadium was adorned with tributes before kick-off
Stoke and England goalkeeper Jack Butland wore a special plain green jersey in tribute to Gordon Banks