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"For 60 minutes I thought we looked comfortable and we were the ones who were going to score, but then five minutes of madness cost us.
"The first goal came from two bad decisions then a slip - there was no danger. Our own worst enemy was ourselves.
"Then, rather than regroup, we started flying in all over the place as if it was the last five minutes.
"It's frustrating because I didn't see it coming.
"For 60 minutes we took the game to them and had the better of the chances but we didn't put them away.
"I've got to take it on the chin.
"The last half an hour wasn't us. Too many players started to lose their discipline."
Cardiff ended the game with 10 men after Stephen McPhail was sent off for pushing Lee Hendrie in the face.
The Stoke midfielder exchanged heated words with Jones on the touchline after being substituted and the Cardiff boss was seething over Hendrie's reaction, though he did not dispute the red card.
"The way he went down I thought he'd been hit with a sledgehammer," said Jones. "Stevie can't do it but the other boy's got to take a long, hard look at himself.
"I'm absolutely livid and that's why I had a go at him. That's the part of the game we're trying to stop.
"I'd rather he got sent-off for a good right hook and Hendrie's lucky I didn't because that's the way I felt. It's not acceptable.
"We'll learn and we'll get stronger and we'll be up for it next time.
"We've been up there a long time and one or two aren't on the top of their game, but we have to work our way through it.
"Today was a bitter pill for me to swallow but we've got to keep working and doing the things that got us where we are.
"We'll stay strong because we have to."
Stoke boss Tony Pulis insisted he did not see the altercation and refused to condemn the on-loan Aston Villa man.
He said: "The referee was very close to the incident. I'll look at the tape but Lee Hendrie is a decent lad."
Pulis was delighted with the result but admitted his side were lucky to still be level at half-time.
"One or two players over-indulged a bit tonight and tried to entertain the crowd, who were fantastic.
"Chopra's missed a fantastic chance but when the first goal went in I thought there was only one team that was going to win it.
"There are a lot of teams in this league that can beat a lot of other teams. It's the most competitive league in the country.
"The important thing is that you try to get some consistency. For Cardiff to get 37 points at this stage of the season is a fantastic achievement and they'll be there or thereabouts.
"Five straight wins and five clean sheets is not bad but we are not even half-way there yet."