Last updated on .From the section Championship

Ollie Watkins netted Brentford's equaliser at Stoke with his second goal in as many games

Stoke remain without a win since their return to the Championship after Brentford almost came from behind to take all three points in an entertaining draw.

The relegated Potters went ahead against the run of play in the first half as Benik Afobe pounced on a defensive mix-up between Brentford goalkeeper Daniel Bentley and centre-back Chris Mepham.

Ollie Watkins levelled for the Bees in the second half as Neal Maupay played him in after a neat move and he drilled in from the edge of the penalty area.

Watkins almost stole the win in the closing moments but Jack Butland rescued Stoke with an impressive save, tipping the ball round the post.

Both Afobe and Watkins netted their second goals in as many Championship matches at the start of the new season, while Bees striker Maupay came close to adding to his opening-weekend brace in the 5-1 defeat of Rotherham.

He was denied an early goal by Bruno Martins Indi's last-ditch challenge in the Stoke area, and in stoppage time fired narrowly wide of a stranded Butland's goal.

Joe Allen came close to stretching Stoke's lead near half-time but his goal-bound header was cleared off the line by Brentford centre-back Ezri Konsa.

That rallied Brentford for the second half and after Sergi Canos had a shot tipped over the crossbar and saw a penalty appeal waved away, their pressure was rewarded by Watkins' strike from 25 yards out.

Both Watkins and substitute Said Benrahma went close to finding a winner, but Stoke survived to take a point after their 3-1 defeat by Leeds on the opening weekend.

Stoke City boss Gary Rowett said:

"My message to the players is that 'we've got to wake up.' At the moment we look too easy to create chances against.

"You could see at the start that any sideways or back-pass made people get nervous or edgy. Whilst I can understand that, we've got to better than that because we have players who have played at a higher level.

"We've got a lot of work to do and need to stop feeling sorry for ourselves as a group."

Brentford boss Dean Smith said:

"Stoke have a talented squad so for us to come here and dominate is very pleasing for me. The players can take a lot of belief from this result.

"[Stoke's goal] was a mistake and it can happen. I thought we were then the better team in the second half.

"The character and spirit from the players was there in the second half and we eventually put that right with a great goal."