Delap scored his second goal of the season against West Brom on Monday

Rory Delap has said Stoke City cannot afford to lose points from winning positions after conceding a late equaliser against West Bromwich Albion.

The veteran midfielder had given Stoke the lead on Monday night but Carlos Vela scored three minutes from time to force a vital 1-1 draw for Albion.

Delap told BBC Radio Stoke: "The last 20 minutes wasn't good enough.

"If we're going to progress this year, whether we go for the second goal or not, we need to see games out."

It was only the second time that the Potters had failed to secure victory from a winning position in the Premier League this season.

They led twice at Wigan in December, but were eventually held to a 2-2 draw.

Stoke now face West Ham twice in the space of eight days, firstly in the Premier League at Upton Park on Saturday and then in the last eight of the FA Cup at the Britannia Stadium the following Sunday.

"They're a very good side and they're proving that," added the 34-year-old. "We need to do what we did for the first 60 minutes (against West Brom).

"If we do that, we'll get a result down there."

Stoke are 10th in the Premier League, six points above the relegation zone.

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