Huddersfield Town 2 Stoke City 2: Thrills, spills, fun and laughter - Neil Warnock was never going to go quietly

Neil Warnock, who used to operate on the opposite side of the Trent from where 'Old Big Ead' held court at Nottingham Forest, may have been leading out Huddersfield Town for one final - and emotional - time on Wednesday evening.

But as far as the Yorkshireman is concerned, it's farewell and not goodbye. He has no plans to ride off into the managerial sunset just yet. Perish the thought.

A second stint at the John Smith's Stadium has proved wholly reinvigorating for the septuagenarian.

For Huddersfield, it has been consequential with Warnock orchestrating a 'Great Escape' from relegation that the Terriers had no right to contemplate when he breezed into the building in February. His old magic book worked a treat, while re-confirming his desire to carry on in the dug-out. Somewhere else.

Be grateful for that amid a world where many of his modern-day counterparts come out with the equivalent of management speak that is hard for players to understand, let alone the average person in the street.

Warnock had also endeavoured to provide a spot of fun at times in an increasingly serious football environment. He was given a standing ovation by his players shortly after the final whistle.

Earlier, there was theatre when he waved and aimed an ironic fist-pump towards Stoke fans after being the subject of unflattering second-half ditty. It came moments after he had gone berserk with a linesman.

Soon after, he lamented a miss from Jaheim Headley. Then, Stoke scored and the Staffordshire visitors had more sport before Warnock rallied - turning towards the away end to celebrate after Jack Rudoni had levelled.

Only the most stone-hearted of supporters from the Potteries couldn’t have laughed inside. Warnock was never going to go quietly.

His replacement is expected to be confirmed on Friday, with former Sheffield Wednesday and Doncaster Rovers manager Darren Moore among those being linked with the position.

Ahead of kick-off, stadium announcer Paul Ramsden named Warnock's Town line-up for 'possibly, probably the last time' to provide a touch of humour - although you didn’t know if it was a hedging of bets in truth.

The night given added piquancy by the presence of a ‘Stokie’ next to Warnock in the dug-out in assistant Ronnie Jepson, a boyhood Potters fan who has a Stoke tattoo on his arm.

Warnock may be a bit of a romantic on the quiet and this game possessed a great deal of sentiment. Once the technical area is in view, the competitiveness kicks in and it’s business, the boots are on and the gloves are off.

Stoke manager Alex Neil spoke beforehand about his side having to focus on football and avoid the ‘pantomime’ of his opponent’s farewell game. A little bit hard maybe, but the football man in Warnock will have understood.

There were sweet songs sung towards the main protagonist by Huddersfield fans. ‘Rocket’ Ronnie also got a nice chorus, while there was a touch of comedy later on when referee Darren Bond came off after doing his hamstring.

Away from that, it was a committed and watchable Championship contest featuring a clash of styles. Town threatened on the break, with Stoke more considered in possession.

It was the hosts made the breakthrough, courtesy of a player Warnock thinks a lot about in Matty Pearson, one of Huddersfield's spring heroes.

Cajoled continually to keep it simple in his defensive work by Warnock and not think he is ‘Beckenbauer’, Keighley’s finest dispatched a header that ‘Der Kaiser’ would have been proud of from Sorba Thomas’s free-kick just after the half-hour mark.

The lead was soon frittered away sloppily.

Tyreece Campbell cut inside on the right and saw his low shot parried by Lee Nicholls. Unfortunately for Town’s sake, it brushed against Wouter Burger before inviting landing at the feet of the unguarded Daniel Johnson, who rammed the ball home.

Aside from his involvement in the goal, little went right for Campbell, fortunately from a Town perspective.

He dozily strayed offside - not once, but twice - to ensure that two ‘goals’ were chalked off.

Campbell missed a decent opportunity before the break with Ben Wilmot also flicking a header just wide.

Josh Koroma, a player rejuvenated and brought in from the cold by Warnock, had his moments for Town. In comparison to Saturday, it was rather less convincing.

A triple interval change from Warnock changed the dynamic and the second-half was rumbustious, right down his alley.

The veteran was plainly unhappy when Town did not heed an earlier warning from Wilmot, who got the run on his marker to head home from Haksabanovic’s corner.

He was happier when Rudoni fired home from substitute Ben Jackson’s low cross, after his initial corner.

Huddersfield Town: Nicholls; M Pearson, Helik, Ruffels (Headley 45), Nakayama; Kasumu (Edmonds-Green 39), Wiles, Rudoni; Thomas (Jackson 45), Harratt (Brugzorg 45), Koroma (Diarra 89). Unused substitutes: Maxwell, Jones, Hudlin, Lees.

Stoke City: Travers; McNally, Rose, Wilmot; Gooch, Laurent, B Pearson, D Johnson; Burger (Wesley 86); Haksabanovic (Bae 73), Campbell (Gayle 78). Unused substitutes: Bonham, Thompson, Jojic, Tchamadeu, Leris, Lowe.

Referee: D Bond (Lancashire).