Mick McCarthy admitted that Cardiff City's lacklustre first-half performance against Cardiff City led him to read his players the riot act for the first time since becoming manager.
The Bluebirds got off to a poor and disjointed start against the Potters and it led to the visitors having the lion's share of decent chances before the break.
Perry Ng's goal-line clearance from Jordan Thompson's shot just about kept City on terms as they failed to lay a glove on Michael O'Neill's side before the break.
And McCarthy admitted he told his side in no uncertain terms just what he thought of that first 45 minutes during the half-time interval.
"It's the first time I have had a raised voice, because it's been going so swimmingly up until Saturday - and even Saturday's performance was good, against a really good team," McCarthy said.
"I wasn't happy first half. I thought the performance was way below what we have set our standards at and we needed to up it.
"I thought we did in the second half."
Cardiff were the better side after the break, but still struggled to nick that all-important goal.
Kieffer Moore had two gilt-edged chances as the game drew to a close. One was a one-on-one with compatriot Adam Davies, who did well to rush out and snuff out the chance, and the second was an unchallenged, volleyed attempt from 15 yards which strayed wide of the mark.
"He has had the best of the chances," McCarthy said. "But he has been brilliant for us.
"Sometimes, all great strikers go through it, it is running for you and you score your chances and sometimes you wonder how you didn't score.
"Kieffer will be looking at that, but he has had to fight tooth and nail against their big centre-backs and he has put another great shift it.
"It just didn't turn into goals for him today, sadly."
Some wondered just why McCarthy didn't opt to change things up and potentially bring on other strikers who were waiting on the bench, namely Max Watters and Mark Harris, to relieve Moore, who understandably looked a little weary.
But while that might sound like the right option, McCarthy said he had to make sure the game was not lost and Moore's importance at the other end of the pitch was a factor in not making those substitutions.
"It would be nice if we had a replacement for Kieffer Moore," McCarthy said.
"I've just been asked if I could put other substitutes on to win the game. Yeah, well, I could take him off and that might lose us the game.
"They were massive as well and we have to defend free-kicks and corners."