I did go to the game on Saturday against Fulham and would normally have produced a report but with family commitments on Sunday, the first day of my holiday on Monday and this game rolling round on Tuesday making it very old news I guess life got in the way. I caught the train from Farnborough to Clapham Junction, changed for Peckham Rye finally picking up my connection to South Bermondsey. I arrived at the ground to pick up my ticket which was still on the coach coming down from St Andrews. Apparently a gas main had blown just the other side of the Blackwall Tunnel. It was now 19.30 and the coach by all accounts had left Birmingham at 15.00 which was ominous. Fortunately, the bus turned up eight minutes before kick off and I got into the ground, grabbed a pie, necked a quick pint, and climbed the stairs to the stand behind the goal facing Cold Blow Lane.
Blues bedecked in their new away kit of orange top, blue shorts took the game to Millwall in the early exchanges. The home side set up 4-4-2 in a diamond formation in the middle which allowed Blues plenty of space out wide which Blues were to exploit as the half wore on. I was pleased to see Koby Arthur making his league debut as a starter and Stephen Gleeson came into midfield alongside David Davis and Callum Reilly. David Cotterill and Koby Arthur on the flanks gave Blues fluidity and balance giving excellent support to Clayton Donaldson up front. The only change to the back four from Saturday was that Paul Caddis reverted to right back where frankly I prefer him to play in place of the injured Spector.
Millwall played too narrow in my view in the first half and were caught out by the pace and movement of Donaldson, Arthur and Cotterill. It was obvious what Millwall’s game plan was which was to launch balls into the box as often as possible and try and isolate the vertically challenged Paul Robinson against one of Millwall’s tall attackers. It almost worked as just before the half hour, a cross from the right was headed down into the six-yard box by Mathias Ranegie to Scott McDonald at the far post. Blues were fortunate that his connection could only divert the ball a foot wide rather than netting but to be fair had they scored it would have been against the overall balance of the play.
The wide open spaces on the flanks, afforded by the home side’s narrow set up, allowed quick switches of play from wing to wing with expansive flamboyant passes and from one such move, Caddis surged on to halfway and played a long ball into the right channel to Donaldson who nodded it back down to Cotterill out wide. He burst towards the by-line whilst Donaldson spun away and continued his run into the box. A fast low cross came in and the striker’s quick thinking and movement was rewarded with an easy tap in from close range. In all seriousness, had that move been orchestrated by one of the top teams in Europe all the football punters and commentators on the telly would have been drooling about it. It was a lovely goal and just reward for Blues’ industrious play for the first half hour of the game.
It got even better five minutes before half time. Blues were awarded a free kick 25 yards out just to the right of Millwall’s goal. Cotterill stepped up and struck a firm side footed effort around the wall to the keeper’s side. I thought from where I was that it had taken a deflection before finding the far corner of the net but it seems that Forde in the Millwall goal tried to push the shot away but the ball bounced just in front of him and he essentially dived under it! Blues were all swagger and poise at this stage and Cotterill nearly scored again just on half time with a volley which Forde fielded successfully this time. So Birmingham retired to the dressing room 2-0 to the good and excellent value for it; there was little doubt that they had been the better side but as one wag at half time remarked “there’s plenty of time for Blues to cock it up!”
A reaction from the home side was not altogether surprising and Ian Holloway made two changes in personnel and switched the formation to 4-3-3 to match up central midfield with Blues. Like too often this season so far, Blues seemed to forget the things that got them into the advantageous position they were in. There was still space to be had out wide to relieve pressure but instead they tucked in really narrow and backed off to the edge of their box and just invited Millwall on to them. Overall the defence was resolute but if you allow the opposition enough ball and keep letting the launch balls into your box you will pay especially as our defensive line is simply not good enough to soak up this kind of pressure as has been clearly shown by other teams in this division this year,
A hopeful ball over the top of our defensive washing line from Aiden O’Brien let Gregory in behind. Randolph came out like a wailing banshee and didn’t get there. I am certain had he stayed at home he would have had more chance of preventing the goal. If a keeper goes out to collect he has to get there; he didn’t and the big striker clipped it past him for 2-1 and Blues were under the cosh in a game that was under control but now wasn’t. The kitchen sink came in at this stage. Mark Beevers, the centre-half was pushed up front and a completely free header was launched straight at Randolph. There were a couple of other close calls as Millwall, so inept the first half were now winning most of the first headers and all of the second balls it seemed.
Clark substituted Will Packwood for Reilly and pushed Caddis into midfield. Latterly Thomas came on for the tiring, cramp affected Koby Arthur who had become totally ineffective in the second half. The changes steadied Blues and a modicum of control was re-established. Blues started to play football again and actually started to attack Millwall once more. Having been under a barrage for most of the half, a golden chance to put the game to bed came the way of Donaldson who contrived to loft a chance from four yards over the bar on 81 minutes. A fierce shot from Cotterill was parried by Forde and Donaldson chested down and poked the ball forward but over. It was a head in hands moment for us all behind the goal. Surely that miss would prove costly but on this occasion it was not so as Thomas saved his strike partner’s blushes with a smart strike from a lovely curling cross with pace from the left from Cotterill three minutes later. At last, the delirious Blues contingent behind the goal had a win to celebrate and a thoroughly deserved one at that. The difference between this game and the ones against Fulham and Sheffield Wednesday; we took our chances and cut out the individual errors.
The Good: Three points! Good performance but our defence still gives me the heebie-jeebies.
The Bad: Our tendency to sit back on a lead; this results in the mistake that produced their goal. Poor defending but thank heavens we only made the one error.
The Ugly: New Cross gate and Bermondsey. The area hasn’t improved in attractiveness since I was a medical student at Guy’s Hospital just down the road 40 years ago!
Birmingham City (4-2-3-1): Darren Randolph 7, Paul Caddis 7, Jonathan Grounds 7, David Edgar 8, Paul Robinson 7, David Davis 7, Callum Reilly 7 (Will Packwood 71, 7). Koby Arthur 7 (Wes Thomas 74, 7). Stephen Gleeson 7, David Cotterill 9, Clayton Donaldson 7.
Subs not used: Colin Doyle, Grant Hall, Andy Shinnie, Olly Lee, Mark Duffy.
Goals: Donaldson 32, Cotterill 40, Thomas 84
Bookings: Arthur, Gleeson, Cotterill
Millwall (4-4-2): David Forde 6, Justin Hoyte 6 (Ricahrd Chaplow 45, 7), Alan Dunne 7, Mark Beevers 7, Malone, Williams 6, Nadjim Abdou 7, Edward Upson 6 (Aidan O’Brien 45, 7) Scott McDonald 6, Mathias Ranegie 7 (Ricardo Fuller 69, 6), Lee Gregory 7.
Subs not used: Tom King, Byron Webster, Martyn Woolford, Matthew Briggs.
Goals: Gregory 54
Bookings: McDonald
Referee: Roger East; 6 this was not the best performance from this normally reliable official. There were too many split decisions given the wrong way for both teams. OK they are minor but throw-ins, corners, free kicks can be pivotal moments in games where margins are tight. I also felt that there was inconsistency with bookings. A Blues player was booked early on for a foul which I felt was harsh but then moments later a Millwall player committed an almost identical offense and got off with nothing. I don’t want to see unnecessary yellow cards but if you are going to brandish such sanction it has to be consistent once the standard for receipt of a card has been set.
Attendance; 9,086 (650 Blues fans)
KRO SOTV Bazza
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