Mark Robins cut an encouraged but not entirely satisfied figure after Stoke City beat Preston North End in a Championship fixture on 31 October, telling BBC Radio Stoke that his side could have added further goals to their winning tally.

"We could've had 2, 3, 4 more," Robins said in his post-match reaction, a comment that will raise eyebrows among Preston supporters and give Stoke fans further cause for optimism about what this team is capable of.

A performance with room to grow

Robins' remarks carry particular weight given the context of Stoke's recent run. The Potters have been building steadily under his management and this victory over Preston represents a further marker of progress. To hear a manager insist his players left chances behind, rather than riding their luck, suggests a confidence in the squad's attacking output that was not always present at the Bet365 Stadium in previous campaigns.

Preston, for their part, are enduring a difficult period. Manager Ryan Alexander has already acknowledged publicly that the club needs significant change, and a defeat in which the opposition felt they were well within themselves will do little to ease the pressure at Deepdale. The North End backline was evidently unable to contain Stoke's attacking intentions across the ninety minutes, and Robins' assessment points to a performance where the scoreline may have flattered Preston.

What the win means in the second tier

For Stoke, three points keep the momentum going at a stage of the Championship season when the table begins to take meaningful shape. Earlier reporting suggested the club were ahead of schedule in their push towards the upper reaches of the division, and a convincing home win against a fellow second-tier side will only reinforce that feeling around the bet365 Stadium.

The manner of the victory, with Robins pointing to missed opportunities rather than a hard-fought grind, also speaks to an improvement in the quality of chances being created. In a division where fine margins separate the automatic promotion places from mid-table, turning those additional opportunities into goals could prove the difference over the course of a long season.

Preston left to reflect

From a Preston perspective, the defeat piles further pressure on a squad that has already seen staffing changes behind the scenes following the departures of Liddell and Murphy. Alexander's side drew with West Brom at Deepdale not long ago, which offered a scrap of encouragement, but conceding in a fashion that leaves the opposition manager lamenting his own missed chances is a harder pill to swallow.

The head coach will need to find solutions quickly. With fixtures coming thick and fast in the Championship, there is little time to dwell, but there is equally little room to absorb more performances of this type without slipping further down the table.

Looking ahead

Stoke travel into their next fixture with growing belief. Robins has spoken previously about the importance of maintaining standards and not resting on individual results, and his refusal to be entirely satisfied even in victory suggests that attitude remains firmly in place. If the Potters can convert the kind of chances that went begging against Preston, they will be an increasingly difficult proposition for any side in the second tier.

For Preston, the immediate priority is stemming the tide and rediscovering the defensive solidity that gave them a foothold in the division at the start of the campaign. A reaction is needed, and Alexander will be hoping his squad can provide one before the international break offers any unwanted disruption to rhythm.

Frequently asked

What was the result between Stoke City and Preston North End?
Stoke City beat Preston North End in a Championship fixture on 31 October, with manager Mark Robins suggesting the scoreline could have been even more emphatic.
What did Mark Robins say after Stoke beat Preston?
Robins told BBC Radio Stoke that his side could have scored two, three or four more goals, indicating he felt Stoke were comfortably the better side throughout the match.
How are Preston North End performing in the Championship this season?
Preston have been going through a difficult spell, with manager Ryan Alexander acknowledging the club needs significant change. The defeat to Stoke adds further pressure on the squad and coaching staff.