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Mark Robins is being won over by an angry Robert Bozenik as the striker scored his first home goal for Stoke City. Bozenik’s first season in England was derailed by a dreadful shoulder injury at the mid-way point just as he was believing he was sussing out the Championship. Now the 26-year-old Slovakia international is having to fight for game time as the squad is reshaped for the new season. Sam Gallagher led the line from the start in an opening day Carabao Cup win over Oldham before Bozenik came off the bench and staked his claim. He might have scored almost immediately in a quick passage of play with Bae Junho only to shoot too close to the keeper – but he then raced through to seal a 2-0 win in front of the Boothen End from another Junho through ball. He looked hungry and Robins said: “He’s been like that all pre-season. He’s angry and I prefer him angry to be honest – because he’s not playing or I’ve played him off the left or the right side. You’ll have to ask him because I’m sure you’ll get an opportunity. He is a proper character. He’s fighting for his life, for his future, for his place in the team. FOLLOW OUR FACEBOOK PAGE! Latest Stoke City news, analysis and more via the Sentinel “Let’s see how that eventually works out but you need players like him, you need players like that to work really hard. I also need players to contribute goals and assists and all of those things and that shows (he can do it), in a competitive game. He’s been there or thereabouts in pre-season. I’m really pleased for him.” Gallagher was denied by a smart save as well in the first half and set up another good chance for Lamine Cisse, who started on the right wing. It has been a big pre-season for Gallagher, who has been working with Stoke’s new medical staff to try to finally get over his injury woes and prove he can stay fit and available. Robins said: “Sam did well to 60 minutes. I think he could have stayed on but no point in risking him. The same with (debutant, Ethan) Galbraith. It was getting him minutes and he felt ok. Obviously you get messages from the sports science people and you take that on board as well and you listen to their advice and what I’m seeing on the pitch. It just looked a bit flat and needed some energy. That’s why I made the changes. “I feel we’re in a better position this summer than I felt we were last summer and we had a really good start to the season last year. This season is a totally different season so let’s see how we start. It’s a really tough start and one everyone will be looking forward to.” What do you think? Click HERE to join the debate