Bruce's View: Stoke City

Last updated : 13 August 2006 By Brian Cartlidge

Mikael Forssell wasted Blues' best chance of the game when his tame second half penalty was easily saved by Stoke keeper Steve Simonsen.

"It was really hard work, especially in the first half," the Blues boss said after the game at The Britannia Stadium.

"We didn't have much creativity in the first half and we had to work hard for absolutely everything.

"We had five young lads out there today and this was a real learning experience for them.

"We'll get better because we will have to.

"The good thing for me today is we stuck at it against a disciplined and hard working team. Those two strikers out there were particularly hard-working and would be a real handful for anybody."