Mark Robins left speechless by Jekyll and Hyde Stoke City vs Ipswich

CommentsSportPeter Smith Stoke City reporter23:29, 10 Mar 2026Mark Robins admitted he didn’t know what to say when he got back into the changing room after a whirlwind evening against Ipswich.

Stoke had led 2-0 at half-time thanks to goals from Milan Smit and Bae Junho as Robins praised their high pressing and use of the ball in the turnover.

But they sat off and sat deep when they came out after the break and promotion-hunting Ipswich climbed through several gears to eventually take the lead through Wes Burns, Jack Taylor and George Hirst.

Some Stoke supporters started to leave but Lamine Cisse won a penalty deep into injury time and Smit stepped up to score his second.

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Robins said in his post-match press conference: "We missed tackles in the second half. We didn't get the line high enough. Back line, too deep. We are playing against the wind. First half, we were playing into the wind, second we were with it. They are not kicking it over your head, defend it, go and head it, be prepared to run.

"It was almost like it was easy. First half we won the ball back, the transitions were brilliant, we forced them into mistakes. We picked the ball up and used it pretty well.

"We were playing against a team that's just come down from the Premier League, they're third or fourth in this division and they're fancied by everyone at the start of the season to go straight back up. They've spent money wisely, they've added to that with good players in the team and they've got a fully fit squad apart from Philogene.

"We've got... our circumstances at the moment. I'm not going to bleat about that because it is what it is. We've got good players. They played in the first half really well. They won the ball high up the field and converted two chances.

"The first one was Smudger's first goal for us after great work (from Talovierov) winning the ball and feeding Milly. He goes past Kipre in the box and hits the post. It comes out but Rigo is there to try to stab it in and Smudger is there to finish it off. Brilliant. First goal for him and it gets our noses in front.

"We keep doing the same thing and put pressure on and win the ball back high up. Junho scores a fantastic second goal so what's not to like? A really good first half.

"Second half, we spoke about doing the same things, making sure we win the duels, win the headers, don't have it so it's a game of two halves story - and straight away we come out and turn our backs, miss tackles, miss things. We're either ahead of the ball or in the wrong position and don't recover properly. Pressure isn't on the ball quite where we needed it to be and sometimes you tire.

"Those are the circumstance we've got at the moment. Average age of 23 in the first half by the way so it was a young squad - and I'm pleased. I said to them at full-time that I didn't know what to say. Part of me is really happy with a lot of that apart from three elements, three moments in the game where we've missed tackles, turned our back. A long throw-in, got first contact but not quick enough first contact and then didn't get out to the ball quickly enough. He has a shot and we turn our backs on it too easily. Goalkeeper is nowhere near it.

"Third one is even worse. Back line is not up quickly enough and it means that we've got Ash Phillips who is deeper than Maxi and you can drive a bus through the gap. He takes a touch and it's gone through the goalkeeper again. He's got to learn. He has to learn.

"He's a young goalkeeper and he's made some brilliant saves and I keep saying it. But we're talking about too many mistakes. I expect him to save that. So you end up 3-2 down and it's infuriating because we've done so well and put so much effort into it.

"What we didn't do well enough is the use of the ball wasn't great until after that moment. We start to use the ball again and get into a good position again and have another chance when we headed it over inexplicably. We kept going and then got a penalty and that penalty is our first of the season believe it or not.

"Smudger gets his second goal which I'm delighted with. He showed courage and quality and finished it off so we got a point, which I felt was the least we deserved."

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