BAKER PROVIDES NET GAIN

Potters boss Robins hails midfielder Lewis' quality after his goal double inspires win at Oxford

- Peter Smith

MARK Robins saluted the goalscoring knack of Lewis Baker after his brace helped fire Stoke City up to second in the Championship.

One of Robins' first moves as Stoke manager was to recall Baker from a loan at Blackburn Rovers after the midfielder had been pushed into the cold by Steven Schumacher - and, with a contract due to end last summer, it looked like his time at the club was up.

Baker has since scored 10 times in 31 games under Robins, including two in a 3-0 win at Oxford United on Tuesday night.

The 30-year-old tapped in the first to cap a swift counterattack and he was in the right place to wrap up victory early in the second half.

He was teed up by Junior Tchamadeu to try a right-footed shot inside the area and, when that was blocked, he stroked in the rebound with his left.