Aston Villa boss Dean Smith admitted he was forced to deliver some harsh words to his side at half-time before they came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw at Stoke.
Sam Vokes's first goal for Stoke gave the hosts the lead on a day when the Potters paid tribute to club legend Gordon Banks.
Substitute Albert Adomah struck just after the hour at the bet365 Stadium to secure a point.
Smith was pleased with Villa's reaction after the break.
He said: "I got in to my players at half-time a little bit, because it wasn't the fact they were giving the ball away, it was just their body language and reaction to it.
"I felt the first-half was a very scrappy affair. Two teams who are struggling for a run of results at the moment, who are giving the ball away cheaply.
"In the second-half, I thought we dominated the ball, dominated the game and fully deserved our equaliser and probably should have gone on to have won the game.
"Stoke City have got a lot of good players here, relegated from the Premier League last year, one of the favourites to go up. To go and dominate them as we did in the second-half was really pleasing for us and we can certainly take a lot from that.
"We certainly deserved something out of the game. I thought we changed the system today then Alan Hutton goes down injured after a couple of minutes and the way our luck goes at the moment, we concede a goal and are down to 10 men."
Stoke led through Vokes after five minutes, with the forward reacting first in the six-yard box to backheel left-footed from Sam Clucas' low cross from the left to beat Jed Steer.
Villa equalised on 62 minutes when Anwar El Ghazi burst down the left flank to feed Adomah inside the penalty area, who guided his low right-footed drive beyond Jack Butland.
Stoke manager Nathan Jones was proud of the club's tribute to Banks, while he also believes that there is a mentality problem within the squad.
Jones said: "I think we lost our focal point, but let's start by saying, I'm proud of our club today, in terms of our club, our fans. Villa were also contributed to that, I thought they were exemplary.
"I think we have paid a wonderful tribute to a wonderful player, a legend and a wonderful human being so both clubs need credit there.
"We started superbly well, we want to be on the front foot. Villa are similar to us I think, underachieving with fantastic players and a fantastic squad. We wanted to make sure we started well and got the first goal and we did that.
"We are not the side that I would like us to be yet, but I think it is more of a mentality problem really in terms of, we take the lead and then there is that fear factor of losing the game or not seeing the game out, rather than going for the jugular
"I don't think we are that kind of team yet, but we will be and it is a work in progress."
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