Liam Manning praised Anis Mehmeti’s dedication to improving his game after the winger’s double kept Bristol City in the thick of the race for the Championship top six with a 2-0 win over Stoke.
The Albanian international scored with an 11th-minute tap-in from Mark Sykes’ cross and then added a superbly-struck 73rd-minute volley from an angle that sent the ball ripping into the roof of the net.
Stoke offered little as an attacking threat and City head coach Manning was understandably delighted with the way his side bounced back from Sunday’s home defeat by Swansea.
He said: “The players have shown their resilience in overcoming setbacks before this season and are a great group in that respect.
“There was frustration and disappointment after the Swansea game but they were honest in their assessment of why we lost a match despite playing so well and the response tonight was great.
“Anis Mehmeti is probably a bit more direct with his play than he was, which we have worked on. I like to see him unfettered and taking up positive positions.
“He might have scored even more this season as I keep reminding him. He drives me mad at times and I drive him mad, but only because we both want to get the best out of him.
“Anis is great to work with because he is desperate to improve and ambitious to play more international football for Albania, which on current form could well happen.
“I have said before that it is for the supporters to dream about the play-offs. I have told the players to enjoy this victory for 24 hours and then it is on to preparing for the next game.”
Stoke remain just three points clear of the relegation zone.
Disappointed Potters boss Mark Robins said: “It was poor from us. I feel sorry for the supporters because they pay hard-earned money and the least they should expect is fight.
“We were second-best physically tonight, which is ridiculous really and I don’t know why. The players have been great since I came in but for whatever reason we let Bristol City win tonight without laying a glove on them.
“I am not saying the lads were not giving 100 per cent, which they have done in all the other games. But somehow we allowed Bristol City to dominate us in every way.
“I changed the formation because sometimes it is needs-must. Lewis Koumas, who scored twice in our cup tie with Cardiff, has been laid low with a bug and missed training early this week, so that changed my thinking a bit.
“We have another game coming up quickly so we have to pick the bones out of this performance and come up with a better game plan. The players have a part to play in that.”
