Stoke City player ratings vs Ipswich as Milan Smit keeps nerve on rollercoaster
CommentsSportopinionPeter Smith Stoke City reporter22:12, 10 Mar 2026Updated 22:25, 10 Mar 2026Stoke City needed a Milan Smit penalty in the fifth minute of injury time to rescue a point against Ipswich having led by two at the break.
Stoke were ruthless as they pressed Ipswich in the first half and led thanks to Smit’s first goal for the club and a well-taken strike from Bae Junho.
But Ipswich were a different beast when they came out following the interval. Wes Burns made it 2-1 with a deflection before Jack Taylor levelled with a volley.
The visitors thought they had won it when sub George Hirst struck with eight minutes left – but Stoke sub Lamine Cisse was brought down with 30 seconds left of stoppage time and Smit stepped up to calmly tap in the equaliser. A chaotic game in a chaotic division.
FOLLOW OUR FACEBOOK PAGE! Latest Stoke City news, analysis and more via the Sentinel
Mark Robins had made five changes to his starting XI, missing Sorba Thomas through suspension, Ben Wilmot through a season-ending injury and Ben Pearson through illness. Junior Tchamadeu made his first start since mid-December, Maksym Talovierov was back in central defence, Tomas Rigo back in central midfield, Million Manhoef returned on the right wing and Milan Smit was back at centre-forward. Jesurun Rak-Sakyi switched to the left wing.
Ashley Phillips led Stoke out as captain for the first time, a rare feat for a 20-year-old loan player, even if he admits himself that he forgets he’s only a loan player.
Stoke were superb in their pressing through the first-half and went in with a two-goal lead at the break.
They made the first chance when Rak-Sakyi teed up Tomas Rigo to shoot from 20 yards. Christian Walton saved with knee but Dara O’Shea’s miscontrol gave a sniff to Smit, who couldn’t react fast or calm enough to take full advantage.
The visitors had two opportunities at the other end, however. Talovierov stretched to divert a Leif Davis long ranger wide before Cedric Kipre hit the post with a bouncing header from a deep cross that Tommy Simkin might or might not have had covered.
Stoke took the lead in the 35th minute. Talovierov was too strong for Ivan Azon as he was drawn out to the right, winning the ball and leaving Azon waving his hands on the floor right in front of Robins. He carried the ball up to the edge of the box before slipping in Manhoef, who ran at Cedric Kipre. Kipre made a tackle but only succeeded in giving the ball straight back to Manhoef, who then left him on his backside as he dipped to the by-line to go one-on-one with Walton.
Manhoef hit the post and Rigo clipped the rebound back towards goal, where Smit was lurking to poke in at close range. Ipswich appealed for offside because one of their defenders, Furlong, was behind the goalline but the flag stayed down.
It was 2-0 in the 44th minute. Rigo had been caught offside when he received a pass back on the Stoke left after his corner had been half cleared. Ipswich were in a rush to take the free-kick and O’Shea passed it square to Kipre to then slip it forward to Jack Taylor in midfield. Taylor slipped as Rigo breathed down his neck and gave the ball to Juho on the d o the area. He took one touch to control then eased it past Walton.
Stoke have been so vulnerable in the opening stages of second halves, however, that they weren’t in control for long.
Ipswich pulled a goal back in the 49th minute when Jack Clarke played it right to Burns, who had so much space, with Rak-Sakyi behind him. Burns hit a shot hard and low and it took a big deflection off Bocat’s knee and span past wrong-footed Simkin.
Burns had a good chance to immediately level when he had a free header from a corner but he planted it past the post. Taylor wellied a long ranger wide as Ipswich kept up a sustained period of intense pressure. Azon should have done better when he got on the end of a brilliant pass from Anis Mehmeti and Simkin saved from Clarke after Phillips had backed off in the area.
It was no surprise when they levelled in the 64th minute. A long throw from Furlong was headed out to the completely unmarked Taylor to volley through Seko and past Simkin.
Tchamadeu and Bocat were shattered so Syd Agina, for his debut, and Ben Gibson were thrown on for the final 20 minutes. The tide suddenly turned and Phillips should have put Stoke back ahead with a close range header, although he was leaning backwards when he met Junho’s dinked cross.
Ipswich made Stoke pay. The Potters couldn’t properly clear from a corner and, when Manhoef was tackled by Azzor Matusiwa trying to counter, Kipre passed to Hirst, who was behind Talovierov but kept onside by Phillips and one on one with Simkin. He buried it.
But Stoke came back again and when Cisse was fouled by Kipre and possibly Jens Cajuste too. Smit got the ball and was nerveless as he doubled his tally in red and white. Three-all.
Here are the player ratings from the bet365 Stadium.
Simkin: Will think he should have stopped Ipswich first with a stronger hand and might have got a foot on third. 6
Tchamadeu: A welcome first start since December and gave the team a whole new dimension on the right. Shattered in second half. 7
Bocat: Skilful and decent pace going forwards but vulnerable in defence, giving Burns too much space at times. Also shattered. 6
Phillips: Captain for the first time. Was stretching back when he headed glorious chance over from close range. Backed off at times in defending in second half. 6
Talovierov: Did brilliantly in build up to opener. Couldn’t push Ipswich back enough after the break. 7
Seko: Disciplined first half helping Stoke press hard but couldn’t sustain it after the break and was dragged around. A couple of poor long rangers. 6
Rigo: Got himself into positions to take a couple of shots, setting up opener in process. 6
Manhoef: Left Kipre on his backside with brilliant skill. Really dangerous if Stoke can get him the ball. 7
Rak-Sakyi: Almost scored from a corner but could do with getting on the ball more – and helping out Bocat defensively. 6
Junho: A much-needed ruthless turn and calm finish for Stoke’s second goal. 7
Smit: In the right place to poke in his first Stoke goal and had the sniff of others. Calm penalty. 7.5
Agina (for Tchamadeu, 70): Debut for 18-year-old right-back. A couple of nice touches down the flank. Big tackle at the end too. 7
Gibson (for Bocat, 70): Asked to fill in again at left-back as Bocat ran out of gas. Useful going forward, including getting ball into box for penalty. 7
Cisse (for Junho, 84): Fresh legs and won penalty thanks to some clumsy defending. 7
Not used: Fielding, Nzonzi, Otegbayo, Chibueze, Kelly, Osei.
Referee: Thomas Kirk (Greater Manchester) 8
Your verdict? Click HERE to join the debate
We have launched a new WhatsApp group to deliver the latest Stoke news directly to your phone. Click the link select 'Join Chat' and you're in. If for some reason you decide you no longer want to be in our community, you can leave at any time by clicking on the name at the top of your screen and clicking 'Exit Group', simple as that.