Lewis Baker’s first-half goal proved enough as Stoke extended their unbeaten league run to seven matches with a narrow 1-0 victory at Championship bottom side Rotherham.

The Potters have not lost since a home defeat to Sheffield Wednesday on December 9, which cost former boss Alex Neil his job.

New manager Steven Schumacher secured his second victory in the hotseat thanks to Baker’s stunning free-kick.

Quick thinking from Viktor Johansson denied an early chance for Baker, who had been put through on goal by a smart ball from Ryan Mmaee.

Rotherham’s first attempt on goal came from former Stoke man Sam Clucas and his speculative drive from distance took a slight deflection before whistling just wide.

Andre Vidigal then forced a save out of Johansson with a powerful shot from the edge of the box.

Stoke took the lead in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage-time, with Baker lashing in an unstoppable free-kick from the edge of the box.

A sweeping move almost yielded a second for the visitors early in the second half with Sead Haksabanovic leading the charge and finding Vidigal, who fired over the top.

Rotherham were upping the pressure around the hour mark and a low corner from Ollie Rathbone caused trouble for the Stoke defence. The ball fell to Christ Tiehi at the back post but his effort landed on the roof of the net.

The visiting side seemed content to keep hold of the ball and their solitary goal lead.

It was a dangerous game to play and the Millers tried to threaten their lead, with the introduction of big striker Tom Eaves giving them a more direct option.

New Stoke signing Luke Cundle – who was on loan at Schumacher’s former club Plymouth for the first half of the season – got in a tangle when attempting to prod past Johansson from Vidigal’s pass.

Rotherham had six minutes of added on time to try and grab an equaliser and reliable substitute Georgie Kelly was brought on to spearhead their attacks.

Stoke had a big chance to put the game to bed moments later when Vidigal found space in the box but his shot was palmed out by Johansson and ran away from substitute Tyrese Campbell, who was lying in wait for a tap-in.

Vidigal caught Seb Revan in possession with the game’s last attack but a desperate challenge from Cohen Bramall denied him a clean strike on goal.

Paul Gallagher is unsure if he will remain in caretaker charge of Stoke for the weekend trip to West Brom but said it was a privilege to manage the Potters in the 1-1 draw against Swansea.

Daniel Johnson’s second-half penalty looked to have given Stoke their first win in seven Championship games but Harry Darling, who conceded the spot-kick, headed home as full-time neared to give the Swans a share of the spoils.

Gallagher took charge against the Swans following the sacking of Alex Neil in the aftermath of the loss to Sheffield Wednesday.

And he felt Stoke’s players gave everything and deserved all three points against the Swans.

He said: “I’m not sure. I’ll just take it day by day, but what I will say is it’s been a real privilege to do a caretaker job at this fantastic football club.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to play for this football club and I know the demands that supporters have and all the staff. I thought the players took it to a tee and I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s been a privilege.

“One thing I’ll say is one only had 24 hours to prep the team and we changed the shape.

“They stuck to it. I can’t ask for anything more. I think the work-rate, their application, the fight for each other was excellent. A little lapse of concentration at the end cost us three points, which I thought we deserved really.”

Swansea caretaker Alan Sheehan is unbeaten in two games in charge and believes the qualities his side displayed in both encounters bode well.

He said: “I felt that we started the game off OK, I felt we never really played the football that we wanted to play. It never flowed and became a frantic game, end-to-end, it didn’t suit us.

“They made five changes and they swarmed all over us at times and our quality let us down. But I’m very proud of the character and the resilience, the way that we hung in there.

“We were sloppy at times, we understand that and we need to get better.

“Were we at our best? No way, we’ve got a lot of work to do on the training ground and I understand that, but character, resilience, everything we talk about from today and Saturday, that’s what good teams are built on.

“He (Darling) gave away a penalty, it happens, it’s life, you make mistakes, but the best way to respond to a mistake is go and putting it right and that’s what he did.”

Alex Neil hopes Stoke’s 1-0 victory over Leeds helps to breed confidence and belief in his players as they secured successive Championship wins.

Leeds substitute Patrick Bamford could have put the Whites in front 15 minutes from time after being brought down by Ben Pearson, but blasted the resulting penalty over.

It proved costly as moments later Stoke striker Wesley headed against the bar and it went in off Leeds skipper Pascal Struijk as the Potters emerged victorious.

The win followed three points picked up against Sunderland over the weekend and Stoke boss Neil felt his players were energised after Bamford’s missed penalty.

Neil said: “When you go and deliver against two of the better teams in the division and you get six points off the back of it, and you can see how much the lads have put in, I think it breeds confidence in everything we’re doing and that belief is massive.

“I thought there was good spells in the first half where we used the ball really well, I thought there was a 20 to 25 minute spell where we were really on top and probably had two or three good opportunities, but we didn’t really take any of them.

“I think we got a let-off with the penalty, that was the one moment that rode in our favour and then we go up the other end, and I thought the fans completely blew the roof off once the penalty was missed, you could see our players get a bit of energy from that, and we went on and won the game.”

Leeds boss Daniel Farke felt his side missed the game’s biggest chance and Stoke took full advantage of that situation to net the winner.

He said: “You have to be clinical in using your chances and today we missed the biggest chance with the penalty and then you could feel for one or two moments a bit disappointed and the whole stadium was buzzing because we missed the penalty.

“They used this in order to create one or two set-pieces and out of the second they were able to score.

“This is football – we didn’t give one chance out of the game away in the second half, but because we missed this penalty and didn’t put the game to bed, we were for this one moment not switched on and they were able to use this chance and once they were in the lead with just 10 minutes to go, they tried everything, put their bodies on the line to block every shot.

“It’s the Championship, it’s relentless, so congratulations to Stoke and a hard-fought win but I also get the feeling you should travel away with points.”

Patrick Bamford’s penalty miss proved costly as Leeds saw their three-match winning run in the Championship end with a 1-0 defeat at Stoke.

Whites substitute Bamford could have put the Yorkshire side ahead at the bet365 Stadium in the 75th minute but fired over from the spot.

And minutes later at the other end, Wesley’s header clipped the bottom of the crossbar and went in off Leeds captain Pascal Struijk for what proved to be the winner.

Daniel Farke’s side came into the encounter with a 100 per cent record in October, while Alex Neil’s Potters were aiming for successive victories after Saturday’s home triumph against Sunderland.

The Potters had first sight of goal in the opening minute when Andre Vidigal swept in a low shot after meeting Ki-Jana Hoever’s cross but it was straight at Illan Meslier.

Vidigal nearly turned creator in the fifth minute as Ryan Mmaee tested Meslier as Stoke’s bright start continued.

Aside from a misplaced Jordan Thompson pass which they could not capitalise upon, Leeds had very little joy in the final third in the opening stages.

Hoever’s fantastic work on the right led to a dangerous cross for Vidigal but Meslier was once again in the right place, while Mmaee curled over shortly after as Stoke’s onslaught showed no sign of stopping.

Leeds’ first real chance came when Georginio Rutter released Joel Piroe into the box and Mark Travers denied the 26th-minute effort with his legs, before claiming Rutter’s header from the resulting corner.

Stoke’s penalty appeal was waved away by referee Paul Tierney when Mehdi Leris turned and went down under Sam Byram’s challenge on the half-hour.

Mmaee’s endeavour in the box nearly forced an opener in first half stoppage time and Struijk was alert to clear the danger as the ball trickled towards goal.

After the break, Joe Rodon was in the right place to cut out Hoever’s low cross from the right as Stoke continued to threaten, though Jaidon Anthony cut into the box at the other end and curled wide.

Travers was equal to Rutter’s low drive before the hour as Leeds grew in confidence, the Whites striker later firing wide after darting into the box.

Leeds substitute Crysencio Summerville’s first act was to curl a promising effort just wide after 70 minutes.

Bamford won a penalty 15 minutes from time when Ben Pearson brought him down in the box and referee Tierney pointed to the spot, but the striker blasted it over the bar.

And it proved costly as from an 80th minute Hoever corner, Wesley headed against the bar and the ball went in off the unfortunate Struijk for what proved to be the winner.

Stoke boss Alex Neil says he “didn’t enjoy any part” of his side’s 3-2 come-from-behind win at Bristol City.

A late strike from 18-year-old substitute Nathan Lowe capped a stirring Stoke fightback at Ashton Gate.

Bristol City looked to be on course for a comfortable win when Sam Bell fired them ahead from a near post corner after five minutes and Nahki Wells doubled the advantage 10 minutes later after intercepting a poor back pass from Ki-Jana Hoever.

But Mehdi Leris gave Stoke hope with a brilliant long-range strike after 25 minutes and two minutes after the break Sead Haksabanovic equalised with a low finish from a Hoever cross.

Lowe completed the fightback with a tap-in at the far post in the 89th minute, but Neil was in no mood to get carried away.

He said: “To be honest, I didn’t enjoy any part of that game. We have played miles better in virtually every other match this season. That’s the crazy nature of football and the Championship in particular.

“We couldn’t have made a poorer start, conceding from the sort of set-piece we had talked about defending and for the rest of the first half we played scared football.

“My half-time message was that we had to play without fear. What the players did show from then on was a collective spirit and determination, which ended up winning the game.

“What we can take encouragement from is the character shown. When things are going against you, it’s easy to start feeling sorry for yourself.

“There is no room for that sort of attitude and we got our rewards today because we didn’t let it happen. Hard work, grit and determination got us the win.

“Nathan Lowe has merited getting on the pitch and there is nothing nicer than when you throw one of your kids in and they get a goal.

“That certainly applies with Lowy, who loves the club. You don’t get a better feeling in football than seeing someone like that score a goal.”

Bristol City assistant Curtis Fleming admitted his side let Stoke back into the contest.

“In a way, we feel like we have been mugged,” he said. “If any team was going to win it in the second half, I always felt it would be us because we were on the front foot.

“But the truth is we haven’t defended well enough and that’s why we have suffered a kick in the teeth. We conceded weak goals, which is a problem we felt we had overcome.

“At Leicester in our previous game, players were throwing themselves in front of shots and putting their bodies on the line.

“That didn’t happen today. There is a lot of frustration in our dressing room and no one is happy.

“From 2-0 up we took our foot off the pedal a bit. It was all a little too comfortable, rather than playing with our usual intensity.

“It’s the sort of thing that was happening to us at times last season. Now we are in a better place to handle it and it’s all about how we react.

“You can’t afford to dwell on setbacks in the Championship because more tough games are just around the corner.”

Stoke manager Alex Neil was delighted with his new recruits as full debutants Wouter Burger and Mehdi Leris got on the scoresheet in a 6-1 Carabao Cup thrashing of Rotherham.

The second-round win extends the Potters’ perfect home record to four matches in all competitions this season – a run that started with a 4-1 victory over the Millers on the opening day of the new Championship campaign.

Burger, signed from FC Basel, opened the scoring early on, while Leris, brought in from Sampdoria, completed the rout in the 72nd minute.

“I think it’s important that obviously we try and maintain our home form, which has been good, and it’s nice to score a lot of goals,” Neil said.

“It’s nice to get a lot of new fellas on the pitch as well.

“We’re still in that transitional period where we’re getting boys in and trying to get them on the pitch.

“But we scored some great goals.

“I think to start it, Wout getting his first goal, sort of set us on our way.”

Stoke took a second-minute lead when Burger drove home from distance after picking up Cameron Humphreys’ headed clearance.

Summer signing Ryan Mmaee doubled the home side’s advantage in the 18th minute, bending the ball from Leris’ pull back.

Rotherham skipper Sean Morrison’s header swiftly halved the deficit, but Stoke restored their two-goal lead just before the half-hour mark as captain Josh Laurent arrowed a shot into the bottom corner.

The advantage was further increased as half-time approached, with Tyrese Campbell curling the ball in off the crossbar.

Any slender hopes the visitors had of staging a comeback were dashed in the 55th minute, when Laurent latched onto Campbell’s headed pass and rifled the ball into the net for his second goal, and Leris made it 6-1 with a fine finish 18 minutes from time.

Rotherham boss Matt Taylor, who made six changes to the team that started the 2-1 defeat to Leicester on Saturday, had no arguments with the final scoreline.

“Regardless of the personnel we had on that pitch, I think some of the players can perform better than they did,” he said.

“We knew what Stoke were going to come with because we faced it three weeks ago in the first game of the season, and we still couldn’t match their speed and intensity.”

Stoke boss Alex Neil reserved special praise for 16-year-old debutant Sol Sidibe following their 2-1 win over West Brom in the Carabao Cup.

A first-half own goal from Josh Griffiths and calm finish from Andre Vidigal – either side of Brandon Thomas-Asante’s second-half leveller – saw the Potters progress to round two.

Sidibe, son of club icon Mamady, was deservedly named man of the match for his midfield performance.

Speaking after the match, Neil said: “I can’t speak highly enough of him, he completely justified his place in the team.

“It’s hard to say (how good he can be). The hard work is where it starts, but his talent and temperament are more than good enough.

“At 16, I certainly wasn’t doing the things he’s doing. He got a booking and I didn’t even worry about taking him off.

“I thought we were very good. All the players deserve a massive amount of credit.”

The Baggies started the game brightly and eventually found a route back into the game through substitute Thomas-Asante, who flicked the ball home with 64 minutes on the clock.

The result caps a difficult few days for the visitors, who suffered an opening-day league defeat against Blackburn at the weekend.

Albion manager Carlos Corberan said: “We didn’t achieve the result we wanted today. We didn’t manage the ball well enough in the first half.

“Unfortunately, losing the ball made the game more open and they found a way to make chances.

“In both games (so far this season) we have seen similar things, both positive and negative.

“In football, it’s important to learn from mistakes, and in the last two games it’s true we have lost goals from mistakes.

“It’s important that we talk about this and do our best to fix it.

“The transfer window is still open and we knew we would find the squad towards the end of the market. The team still needs to grow.”