Stoke City defender Ben Wilmot has expressed confidence the Potters can recover quickly after suffering their first defeat in almost two months when Middlesbrough scored an injury-time winner at the Bet365 Stadium on Tuesday.
Wilmot told BBC Radio Stoke the performance merited at least a point, despite the cruel ending to a strong run of form. "The positive is that we put in a good performance and shouldn't have lost," he said. "And I'm sure we'll soon get back to winning ways."
Strong Run Ended
The defeat came after Stoke had recovered impressively from a difficult start to the season. After opening with three straight Championship losses under manager Mark Robins, the club had accumulated 16 points from a possible 18 before the Middlesbrough match.
Wilmot acknowledged the team's learning curve but stressed they remained full of confidence. "We're young and we're learning but we're still full of confidence. We were good value for at least a point," he said.
Tactical Observations
The defender noted Stoke took time to settle into the game. Middlesbrough dominated possession in the first half without creating many clear chances, but Stoke improved after the interval. "It was then the little moments that cost us in the second half and that's disappointing," Wilmot added.
Favourable Fixture List Ahead
Stoke's next three fixtures offer an opportunity to rebuild momentum. They travel to Derby County on Saturday to face former Potters manager John Eustace, followed by home games against Bristol City and Preston North End on successive Saturdays. Preston currently sit bottom of the Championship.