Following early goals from Nick Powell and an unfortunate own goal from Tom Lockyer, Town’s three match unbeaten run came to an end on a cold night in Staffordshire.

“I thought we were considerably the better side,” Jones said to the local press after the match. “They had two moments where we didn’t defend our box well and allowed Nick Powell a free header from eight yards and he doesn’t miss from there because he’s a quality player. We didn’t do the basics there and then they put a good ball in which Tom Lockyer has put into his own net which can happen.

“We’ve had more crosses, more shots, more possession, more situations but just didn’t find the quality. The performance level was everything, how we moved the ball, we were brave, we were athletic and we had far more opportunities. We just needed to get a goal and if we got a goal it might have changed things because the crowd are ready to go at any point.

Continuing, the Welshman said: “That is the tale of tonight. We haven’t defended early on and then no matter how much we huffed and puffed, because we really did, I look at it and if you take the goals out I think it’s an excellent performance but it’s all about goals.”