Stoke & Staffordshire

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  1. Thomas quickly becoming a key player for the Potterspublished at 12:04 GMT

    Mark Elliott
    Stoke City commentator for BBC Radio Stoke

    Sorba Thomas applauds Stoke fansImage source, Rex Features

    In the age of "goal involvements" and a greater focus on assists as a statistic, it seems really harsh to deny players credit for a pass that causes an own goal.

    Sorba Thomas' cross which forced Portsmouth defender Hayden Matthews into an intervention as unintended as it was decisive was a delivery worthy of recognition.

    Thomas' ability from set-pieces and his quality from wide areas was widely praised before and after he signed for Stoke, but he can't have produced many more sustained periods of consistent quality than he has over the first dozen games of the season.

    Stoke have scored 13 goals in the league and if you include the goal against Portsmouth, Thomas has been directly involved in nine.

    He's scored four, assisted four more and created the winner at Fratton Park which works out at just under 70% of all of the goals Stoke have scored in the Championship this term.

    Thomas has been an outstanding addition to the squad, whose energy and dribbling ability has given Stoke a consistently viable outlet when defending and, accused of sometimes lacking concentration early in his career, his defensive work has improved significantly too.

    He's an important player for Wales now too and well on his way to setting career best marks for goals and assists in a season.

    He'll certainly surpass the five goals he scored in the National League for Boreham Wood in 2019-20 and the tally of 12 assists he registered for Huddersfield in 2021-22 is more than beatable with 34 games still to play.

    Now Stoke need one or two of his team-mates to get closer to matching Thomas' output.

  2. 'Good enough' - Robins verdictpublished at 15:20 BST 25 October

    Media caption,

    Robins: ‘I'm delighted with the character we showed’

    Mark Robins felt his Stoke City team were "good enough" to deserve the three points after they beat Portsmouth 1-0.

    The Potters manager told BBC Radio Stoke: "The performance was good enough, first half especially, I thought we were really good and should have been 2-0 up.

    "We didn't take those chances and gave the opposition the encouragement to remain in the game when we should have put it to bed.

    "They smelt that and came out in the second half to put us under a lot of pressure to start with, but we also put ourselves under pressure with a lot of strange decisions, but had a brilliant goalkeeper who made a great save.

    "When we needed to, we defended properly and saw the game out."

  3. Robins expects 'boisterous atmosphere' at Portsmouthpublished at 15:55 BST 24 October

    Media caption,

    Robins: 'We want to be better all the time'

    Stoke City boss Mark Robins is expecting an intense atmosphere as his side travel to Fratton Park to face Portsmouth on Saturday (12:30 BST).

    Robins' side started off the campaign strongly by winning their opening three games, but one win in their last six has seen them slip down to sixth place.

    They take on a Pompey side who are as far from the play-off places as the bottom three. The hosts know that three points at home would steer them in the right direction.

    Robins told BBC Radio Stoke: "Every time you go to Fratton Park the atmosphere is boisterous, it's partisan, it's high in number and it's a demanding environment, they'll appeal for everything for their team, our supporters do the same,

    "They play with an intensity, they've got some good players, they've changed the way they've gone about things, they've got suspensions and an injury as well and I think that you expect a tough game,

    "Obviously we've got experience on the back of last season there, we've got that to draw on, but also the experiences we're having so far this season, we certainly go with a view to having a really strong performance."

    Listen to the full interview and more on BBC Sounds

  4. Tamworth sign Sutton's De Silva on month-long loanpublished at 14:49 BST 24 October

     Dillon De Silva in action for Sri Lanka national sideImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Dillon De Silva began his career with Queens Park Rangers before having spells at Torquay United and Wealdstone

    In-form Tamworth have signed Sri Lanka forward Dillon De Silva on a month's loan from Sutton United.

    The 23-year-old joins a Lambs side who are currently unbeaten in 10 games in all competitions.

    The former Queens Park Rangers and Torquay United attacker has made seven appearances this season for Sutton, who are currently bottom of the National League.

    "We're really pleased to bring Dillon in for the month. He's an exciting, attacking player who will add valuable depth to the squad at a time when we've picked up a few injuries," Lambs boss Andy Peaks said.