Stoke City succumbed to a sorry home defeat on a foggy night which showed the gulf between their side and the promotion pack.

Stoke should have taken the lead in the opening minutes through Lewis Koumas but from that point on, barring a couple of minutes mid-way through the second half, it was heavy one-way traffic and as routine a win for Leeds United as they’ll probably have all season.

It seemed like only a matter of time before the visitors broke through Stoke’s deep defence and Joel Piroe broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute when he latched onto a rebound after Viktor Johansson had stopped an initial one-on-one.

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It was Piroe who put the game to bed just after the hour mark when he was free to tap in a cross from Daniel James and the miserable home fans slowly trudged to the exits; an all-too predictable and depressing match that means Stoke are now nine games without a win.

Stoke should have been ahead right at the start. Junior Tchamadeu burst into the box and might have had a good shout for a penalty if he’d gone down amid clumsy attention, staying up instead to cross well for Koumas in the six-yard box. It was a golden opportunity for Koumas but the forward couldn’t pick a spot either side of the keeper and Illan Meslier made the save.

James has given Stoke defenders sleepless nights on a couple of previous occasions and it was his cross for Solomon that should have led to the opener. Instead Solomon, who had managed to get free of defenders at the back post, blundered his shot wide. Wilmot deflected a low cross towards his own goal too as pressure built.

Still, it felt inevitable that Leeds would poke through Stoke’s concentration and it happened three minutes before half-time. Aaronson played a pass into the box for Piroe to dart diagonally between Phillips and Gibson in a race with Johansson. Johansson dived at his feet six yards out to make the block – but Wilmot, Gibson and Phillips had all run behind the keeper and Piroe was free to control the rebound and blast past him and high into the net.

Bocat’s first touch as a sub was a shot, which sparked the biggest cheer to that point from Stoke fans, albeit in irony with a chant to follow: “We’ve had a shot!” But it did briefly spark Stoke to life and although Junho’s first corner couldn’t beat the first man, Bocat whipped in a beauty of a cross that Phillips steamed in to attack at the back post, sending a header just wide.

However, Bocat was soon chasing James down the other end and the winger dinked a cross over Johansson for Piroe to add his second and put the result beyond doubt with about half an hour still to play. The home stands had all-but emptied long before the final whistle confirmed it, which told as much of a story as the boos that groaned into the night.

Here are the player ratings from the bet365 Stadium.

Johansson: Some comfortable stops from long range and unfortunate with the opener after making initial block, as defenders weren’t in position to attack rebound. Dinked cross over him for second. 5

Tchamadeu: Super run into box in opening moments and did well to pick out Koumas. Daft lunge on Byram to earn yellow card. 5

Gooch: First start under Pelach and used on left of defence. Can’t have relished tests against Bogle and James and took one flush in the guts to rub it in. 5

Wilmot: Grateful not to deflect into own goal in first half and took up poor position when Piroe broke into box for opener. 4

Phillips: A couple of important touches with telescopic reach but couldn’t keep tight enough on Piroe for first goal. Header just wide from Bocat cross. 5

Gibson: Dashed back to the line to try to stop Piroe, which wasn’t the best course of action. Taken off at half-time. 4

Burger: Sitting deep in midfield but struggling to put a stamp on the game, certainly to anywhere near the level that is needed. 4

Sidibe: Big test on recall against best team in division. Let down with lack of options in front of him when he got on the ball. 5

Moran: Struggled to keep the ball on the break for Stoke. One slipped pass through to Cannon but couldn’t impact the game. 4

Koumas: Should have buried chance in opening minutes after getting into good position deep in Leeds territory. Largely anonymous thereafter. 4

Cannon: Struggled to impact game or hold up the ball enough as sole striker. Prepared to press when he got the chance. 4

Substitutes

Rose (for Gibson, 46): Defence was the wrong side of Piroe for Leeds’s second. Heart in mouth clearance from underneath own bar. 5

Bocat (for Gooch, 56): Willing to shoot and excellent cross for Phillips chance but skinned by James for second. 5

Junho (for Sidibe, 56): Can’t afford to see so many corners hit the first man. 4

Gallagher (for Wilmot, 67): Welcome minutes as he builds up match fitness but the game had already gone by the time he was summoned. 5

Lawal (for Burger, 79): Cameo in central midfield for another long-term injury victim. 5

Not used: Bonham, Seko, Ennis, Tezgel.

Referee: Stephen Martin (Staffordshire) 5

Match rating: 2

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