Graham header and Johansson save give resilient Stoke the win at Pride Park

Sunday 18 October 2026 · By Matt Kendrick

Mark Robins has found a new favourite word: resilience. Four days after losing to Middlesbrough in stoppage time, Stoke City bounced back with a gritty 1–0 win at Derby on Saturday. Luke Graham headed in Ethan Galbraith’s free-kick four minutes into the second half for his first goal for the club, and Viktor Johansson made a fine late save from David Ozoh to protect the lead. Stoke are sixth on 19 points, four behind leaders Swansea.

It was not pretty, and Robins did not pretend otherwise. “It wasn’t a game for the purists by any stretch of the imagination,” he told Sky Sports. But he was delighted with how his side saw it out after a draining three-game week that included a win at Bolton with ten men and the late defeat to Boro.

“I think we’d have gone under last year but we didn’t, we found the resilience to see the game out,” Robins said. That is the clearest sign of progress under him. Last season this type of afternoon might have ended in a draw or worse. This time Stoke kept a clean sheet in front of a sold-out away end at Pride Park and took all three points home.

Derby boss John Eustace felt Ryan Hedges was fouled in the build-up to the free-kick that led to the goal, but the decision stood. Derby pushed late on and Johansson had to be alert in the 89th minute to deny Ozoh, a save that may prove just as important as the goal.

Graham’s goal is a big moment for the defender. Set-pieces have been a real weapon for Stoke, and Galbraith’s delivery caused problems all afternoon.

The bigger picture is encouraging. According to the Stoke Sentinel, Stoke have taken 19 of the last 24 points available. After ten summer signings, Robins’s rebuild is starting to take shape, and the Potters are now firmly in the play-off places. Only four points separate them from the top of the table, and they sit two points clear of Southampton, Wolves and QPR, all on 17, although Wolves have a game in hand. With the top nine covered by just six points, every result is magnified, and a week of rest before the next game will be welcome after such a demanding run of fixtures.

Now come two home games that could cement Stoke’s place in the top six. Bristol City visit the bet365 Stadium on Saturday 24 October (15:00 BST). Michael Skubala’s side have lost two home games in four days without scoring and are three points off the play-offs, so they will arrive looking for a lift. Stoke then host bottom club Preston on Saturday 31 October (12:30 GMT, live on Sky).

Six points from those two games would be a real statement. On Saturday’s evidence, Stoke have the steel to grind out results, and in this division that is often what separates the play-off sides from the rest.