Stoke City scored their first win of the Premier League season with a 2-1 result over AFC Bournemouth on Saturday.
The Potters opened the scoring in the 32nd minute through Jon Walters who slotted home Marko Arnautovic's low cross after the Austrian dazzled the Cherries defence. This came after the Dorset club lost star striker Callum Wilson who was carried on a stretcher with a knee injury.
Eddie Howe's visiting side,however, hit back through Dan Gosling with just under 15 minutes remaining but Mame Biram Diouf, who had come off the bench midway through the second half, produced the winner with a stooped header from Glen Johnson's long cross in the 83rd minute.
The triumph saw the Potters moved up to 17th on the table with six points from seven outings as Bournemouth sit 16th having registered seven points in their top flight debut.
MATCH OVERVIEW
Stoke City: 2 (Jon Walters 32', Mame Biram Diouf 83')
AFC Bournemouth: 1 (Dan Gosling 76')
Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent - 27,742
TALKING POINTS
- Stoke seem to be improving each week. Can they now kick on and move closer to mid-table where they are expected to finish?
- How will Bournemouth deal with the potential long-term absence of Wilson?
WHAT'S NEXT?
Stoke head to Aston Villa next weekend as Bournemouth will look to bounce back when they host Watford.
TWITTER INSIGHT
Super important victory for us today! Thanks to our fans for their great support! #Potters#SCFC#STKBOUpic.twitter.com/rFsBGbspEz
— Bojan Krkic (@BoKrkic) September 26, 2015great to finally get that win, hopefully now we can kick on! wishing Callum Wilson a speedy recovery, thinking of you mate!
— Jack Butland (@JackButland_One) September 26, 2015Thought we were excellent second half and deserved at least a point. Fans superb as always. Looking forward to putting it right next week
— Marc Pugh (@MarcPugh7) September 26, 2015
QUOTES CORNER
Bournemouth's Howe on the nature of his side's defeat:
“I thought we were dominant with the ball, created a number of chances and at 1-1 we felt there was only one team who was going to win the game.
“To sit here having lost is hugely disappointing."
Stoke boss Hughes on the importance of the win:
“It was an important win, I'd argue we've probably played better in other games and got beaten.
“Today was about getting three points and getting that off our backs."
TEAM LEADERS
STOKE
Goals - Mame Biram Diouf 3
Assists - Marko Arnautovic 2
Yellow cards - Glenn Whelan, Erik Pieters 2
Red cards - Ibrahim Afellay, Charlie Adam 1
BOURNEMOUTH
Goals - Callum Wilson 5
Assists - Simon Francis 2
Clean sheets - Artur Boruc 1
Yellow cards - Four players on 2
