All the action came before half-time as a penalty from Stoke striker Steven Fletcher cancelled out Pipa's early strike before Rhys Norrington-Davies saw red for a dangerous tackle in first-half stoppage time.

Despite a run of five successive defeats, Huddersfield named an unchanged side and hit the front from their first attack.

Isaac Mbenza attracted two defenders on the right edge of the area and rolled the ball back to Pipa to strike a deflected 20-yard drive into the bottom corner with Stoke goalkeeper Angus Gunn rooted to the spot.

The home side dominated the first 15 minutes but Stoke almost hit back when Harry Souttar headed across goal and Fletcher's shot was saved.

The Terriers had a great chance to double their lead midway through the first half when Fraizer Campbell headed wide from Harry Toffolo's pinpoint centre and Stoke capitalised on their good fortune to equalise.

A driving run from Jack Clarke tempted defender Naby Sarr to dangle a leg, the on-loan Spurs winger went over it and referee Gavin Ward gave the penalty.

Former Scotland international Fletcher sent Ryan Schofield the wrong way for his sixth of the season.

Chances dried up after the equaliser but in first-half stoppage time Stoke boss Michael O'Neill's team talk changed completely.

Norrington-Davies lunged in dangerously as Juninho Bacuna looked to break clear.

It was a clumsy challenge which took the ball and the man, prompting a furious reaction from the Town players and referee Ward took no time in producing a straight red card.

Both sides made a change just before the hour, Fletcher making way for Jacob Brown while Huddersfield threw on Duane Holmes for a second debut, replacing Rolando Aarons.

Straight from the restart, the home side were inches away from regaining the lead.

Toffolo forged forward down the left and his low cross was met first time by Lewis O'Brien but his sweet left-foot half volley cannoned back off the bar, possibly via a fingertip from Gunn.

Bacuna was next to be denied, his goal-bound strike being headed off the line by makeshift left-back James McClean.

Toffolo blazed over after 77 minutes with Town looking the most likely winners but Stoke kept going and a Jordan Thompson corner almost created an unlikely win for the Potters.

There was drama in stoppage time as Campbell nudged the ball past Gunn and went down under the keeper's challenge but the huge penalty appeals were correctly ignored.