Stoke 0-0 Oxford: Mark Robins stays winless in charge of Potters after goalless draw

Struggling Stoke remain without a win in the Sky Bet Championship under manager Mark Robins after a disappointing 0-0 draw at home to Oxford.

The Potters have now drawn three of Robins' four league games in charge and have only one victory in their last 15 Championship matches to remain dangerously close to the relegation zone.

While Oxford boss Gary Rowett was unable to come away from his former club with all three points, his side are now unbeaten in eight league matches since he took charge just before Christmas.

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Oxford captain Cameron Brannagan had the first serious attempt of the game after 13 minutes when his shot from the edge of the area was pushed behind by Stoke goalkeeper Viktor Johansson.

Stoke's first big opportunity came from a sloppy pass by visiting right-back Peter Kioso which was picked off by Andrew Moran, whose attempt at a placed finish was too near to Jamie Cumming.

Kioso had another shaky moment a couple of minutes later when he presented the ball to Lewis Koumas inside his own area, but Cumming was quick in coming out to smother the danger.

Lewis Baker tried a clever free-kick alongside Moran in the 34th minute, but his effort did not come close to troubling Cumming as it flew high and wide.

Junior Tchamadeu then shot straight at Cumming before Potters skipper Johansson had to be alert to keep out a swerving cross by Oxford left-back Greg Leigh at his near post.

It all meant the two teams went into half-time still deadlocked but with the Potters just about shading the action so far.

Five minutes after the restart, the visitors had a big chance to break the deadlock when Siriki Dembele's pass played in Tom Bradshaw, but Johansson was swiftly out to make a good save.

The Sweden international was called upon again with an hour gone when he got down to hold on to Dembele's low strike from outside the box.

Stoke's first opportunity of the second half came in the 65th minute when Enda Stevens' shot across goal was pushed out by Cumming, with Ciaron Brown able to clear away the loose ball.

It was a rare instance of the increasingly-nervous Potters threatening and the team's mood was mirrored by an agitated home crowd as another league game without a win beckoned.

It could have got worse for the hosts with seven minutes left as Johansson tried to shepherd the ball out for a throw-in, only to be shrugged aside by Oxford substitute Ole Romeny, who hit the bar from a tight angle.

The managers

Stoke's Mark Robins:

"We had opportunities to play through them, to play around them - I thought we did pretty well in that sense.

"But it's the final third that then lets us down a little bit, because we need to move the ball quickly in the final third and we need to run quickly in the final third.

"The more time you take on the ball in the middle of the pitch, higher up the field you get the ball taken off you and the chances go begging.

"Then when we do get there and then turn the opportunity to shoot down, that's frustrating so there are elements of frustration, but there are certain elements you can see that it is starting to come.

"But it's still a way off because of decision-making, because of game understanding, that's just the way it is.

"These aren't excuses, this is what I'm seeing, one of the failings that we're experiencing at the moment, but you're going through a process."

Oxford's Gary Rowett:

"I thought it was a pretty even encounter.

"Of course, when Ole pinches the ball down in the corner and the goal looks open you half think, 'Is this the moment where we snatch it and we pinch the points?'

"But, of course, he couldn't quite find the finish, he hit the bar, and sometimes that happens, but I wouldn't have been coming away saying we deserved all three points.

"I think we probably had slightly more possession, probably had slightly more chances, slightly better chances, but I don't think there was enough in it to warrant either team really feeling like they should have won the game.

"As the away team, sometimes you're a little more happy when that happens because we've won four out of four at home and away from home you just want to pick your points up, so keeping our run going and a clean sheet is not to be sniffed at."

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