ROBINS MAKES STRONG CASE FOR DEFENCE

MARK ROBINS points to groundwork as he tries to explain the secret of the turnaround in Stoke's defence.

- BY PETER SMITH

The second-placed Potters go into today’s home game against Hull with the best defensive record in the Championship, conceding only 12 times in 17 games.

Robins (left) has managed that while using largely the same back five he inherited on New Year's Day, when Stoke were shipping shots and had keeper Viktor Johansson to thank that they still had a decent chance of staying up.