Collins: We didn't really deserve anything from Potters draw

Hatters striker James Collins felt his side hadn’t deserved anything from their 1-1 draw with Stoke City on Saturday.

The hosts were nowhere near their best for long periods of the encounter as after moving 1-0 in front through Sam Vokes’ early goal, the Potters comfortably controlled proceedings.

It had looked like Town were going to suffer a 23rd defeat of the campaign, but Callum McManaman was then fouled by James Chester at the death, Collins keeping his composure to slot home from the spot.

Speaking afterwards, the forward, who now has 11 goals this term, admitted he had doubted whether Town could salvage a draw, saying: “Yes, there was a stage in the game where I thought ‘here we go again.’

“I don’t really think we deserved anything from the game, we weren’t at our best, but that’s the sign of a team that’s together and are on the up because two weeks ago we wouldn’t have got a point there and we’d have lost the game.

“Credit to the lads, we stuck in there, kept it at 1-0 and at 1-0 there’s always the chance to get a point.

“As a whole, the way the game went, a point is a fair result as they didn't really look like they wanted to win it and we weren’t at the races as a team.

“So it could turn out to be a massive point at the end of the season.”

Collins was one of nine players who were playing their third match in seven days, as only Martin Cranie and Izzy Brown didn’t start all three encounters, at Charlton last Saturday and Brentford in midweek.

The forward, who has featured in every single Championship contest this term, knew it had been a hard ask, as he continued: “It was really tough and it was only Izzy that came in from the starting line-up on Tuesday.

“We’ve talked about it all the time, three game weeks in the Championship is tough, and when you go a goal behind it’s not ideal either as you’re chasing the game.

“But that’s why you need your squad and I thought the lads that came on really gave us a spark.

“It's been a tough week.

"We’ve played some really good sides, played a team that’s fighting down the bottom with us, they’ve got a very experienced team and they made it really difficult for us.

“Three months ago we wouldn’t have got a point out of it, we’d have lost the game 1-0, we’d have been in there with our heads in our hands.

"So the changing room, it knows that as a team we weren't good enough today, but we got a point and we move on, and we’re a point closer to where we want to be.”

Falling behind so early to a team as experienced as Stoke, who contained the likes of Wales international Joe Allen in their ranks was always going to make it a difficult afternoon for the Hatters too, making the late leveller even more vital.

Collins added: “When you’re away from home, you go 1-0 up and think 'lets protect it,' I thought they did that really well for the majority of the game.

“They’ve got experience, they’ve got some good footballers and made it difficult for us.

“They stopped us playing, so I think on the whole they did their job, but we know as a team and as a staff we weren’t at the races.

“It’s a sign of a good team when you’re not playing well and you’re still getting points.”