Mark Robins praised the response from his Stoke City side to come from a goal down to beat Hull City 2-1 at the MKM Stadium and leave the Tigers teetering on the brink of the relegation zone once again.

Eliot Matazo put City in front after only six minutes on his home debut, and City looked to press home that advantage but found goalkeeper Viktor Johansson in fine form, denying Kamara, Matazo, Pedro and Sean McLoughlin.

New Potters signing Ali Al-Hamadi fired the visitors level just before the break before Andrew Moran spun and finished brilliantly after 74 minutes to give Robins a first league win as manager, and leave City to reflect on an eighth home defeat, on a pitch the away boss felt didn't help either side.

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"The surface is really difficult here, there's no doubt about that; it's heavy, and the fact we get players having cramps and things like that, and you have to turn the team around a bit against a team that has, now, rich resources and they can make those changes," Robins said.

"So well done to the players and I'm delighted for the supporters. I like the sense of humour and 'We've had a shot!' and things like that... but let's really get behind them and let them feel that because they will reciprocate with their performances. I thought they were brilliant with their support.

"A great result in the end. We didn't get started in the way I wanted us to. I think really where we are at, at the moment, we are in a situation when we haven't won games so there's a bit of a lack of confidence or belief or a mixture of both. We didn't get going in the game until after they scored, which is too late, obviously.

"I think with a bit of belief - and that result gives us a bit of belief - it means they can go out and play like they can and show what they can do. We've just got to learn to take the handbrake off, free themselves up and play in a way I know they can do - because I've seen it. It's not just me guessing things, they can do it. I've seen it in training and I've seen it in parts of games.

"But it took us too long to get going, a goal down. They have changed hugely in terms of the numbers they've got and their availability and we're still in a bit of a position where we're trying to make do and mend and get people into positions where I think they can make a big difference on the pitch. At times they did, at times it took a bit of time to get going but that's where we are. I'm delighted with the three points and that should give them a bit of a boost and that belief - but, again, let the handbrake off."