Saturday dawned to a cold, crisp and frosty morning. I had to get on the train much earlier than usual and since Mrs Bazza wanted to get out extra early to spend the old man’s money at the shops she was able to drop me off at the station. I needed to call in on my disabled cousin in Sutton Coldfield to check on her and hand over her Christmas presents before doubling back to New Street and the walk down to St Andrew’s. Things were going well until the train got to Oxford when a fault caused a delay. Numerous apologies for the delay and inconvenience were not cutting it with me sitting on a rammed train with a multitude of others all of whom were totally pissed off with wearing hot uncomfortable masks. After a few minutes a lady on the intercom apologised for the delay and the inconvenience caused but that there was a fault with the engine and they would be underway when hopefully the fault was rectified. Needless to say, after several more apologies a man comes on the intercom and says the train couldn’t move forward but could go back so everybody off and we’ll turn it round. We stood on platform 4 for nearly an hour until the train reappeared.
There were masses of Reading fans on their way up to the Hawthorns for their game against the Baggies. There were a group of lads who had got on the train at Reading like me. Now don’t get me wrong, I like a beer at the best of times but several had been consumed by these fellas before they had got on and there were bottles strewn all over the floor round the doors so you had to watch your step getting off. Further bottles appeared on the platform and I can only imagine the state those lads must have been in by the time of the match! Anyway, having piled back on the coaches we got back underway and I eventually arrived at my destination with just enough time to drop Janet’s presents, say hello, Merry Christmas and goodbye to get the train back to New Street.
I got to St Andrew’s after the walk down from town through Digbeth which appears to be one huge building site; new sewers by all accounts. I met Chris and little Jack at our normal parking space and whilst waiting the weather got progressively worse. It was going to be wet! We had enough time to nip into the George for a pint before the game and the team was very much as you were with the restoration of Sarkic between the sticks. George Friend came into the back three with Krystian Pedersen pushing further forward. Jordan James continued in midfield alongside Ivan Sunjic and Jordan Graham with Riley McGree occupying the role behind the strike force of Hogan and Deeney. Cardiff in a pink strip and black shorts started fast and could have scored in the first couple of minutes when a cross into Kieffer Moore was sent over the bar by the Cardiff striker to the relief of our shaky looking defence and the watching home support.
Further attempts by Joe Ralls with a blocked shot and Aden Flint with a header that was easily gathered by Sarkic suggested that it might be a difficult afternoon for Blues but after the initial flurry by the visitors Birmingham grew into the game and started to take charge. Blues then took the lead through Troy Deeney. A lovely clearance by Sarkic found Riley McGree with room to run into in midfield. His weighted ball to Deeney left the Blues man free to nutmeg the oncoming defender and find himself through on goal with only Smithies to beat which he did with aplomb – a classy finish! Blues could have doubled their advantage just before the break when Krstian Pedersen failed to get enough power and direction on a close range header but the home crowd did not have to wait long for a second since following a flowing move which fed in Riley McGree down the left flank, the stand out player of the first half, Ivan Sunjic ran into the box to slide home the Australian’s perfectly weighted cross from ten yards.
In the second half Blues started on the front foot and by rights should have scored again. Riley McGree, Dion Sanderson, Scott Hogan and best of all, Troy Deeney all had chances to put the game to bed. A combination of good defending, misfortune and poor finishing meant that the score was not extended. Cardiff continued to create openings although they were relative half chances and Blues would be made to pay for their profligacy. It was inevitable that with the number of attempts that Cardiff were creating that sooner or later a good chance would come along. This duly occurred three quarters of the game through on 66 minutes. A high bouncing ball in midfield was not dealt with by Jordan Graham and George Friend and this allowed an overload down the left flank. Mark Harris was able to seized on the opportunity to feed Kieffer Moore on the edge of the box. A quick side step to get the ball out of his feet and an accurate finish into the bottom corner giving Sarkic no chance. The travelling supporters were ecstatic to be back in a game they were comfortably losing. Blues went out to restore their two goal advantage and only an excellent save from Alex Smithies prevented a free kick from Jordan Graham from finding the top corner. From the resulting corner Krystian Pedersen narrowly missed the target with his header that maybe he would feel he should have got on target.
Chuks Aneke replaced Scott Hogan on 79 minutes and with his first touch was agonisingly wide of the far post having connected with a bouncing ball in the middle of the box. Nevertheless, Blues seemed to be managing the game well as the minutes ticked down. Right on full time, Blues conceded a corner. It is noteworthy that Lukas Jutkiewicz had replaced Scott Hogan a few seconds before, I had assumed to bolster up our physicality from such set pieces. His best position surely has to be on the near post to head away the commonest flighted ball. Guess what? I didn’t see him there and just as time added on was being announced Joe Ralls’ cross from the corner was easily headed in for the equaliser by Mark McGuinness for an identical goal to the one Tom Bradshaw netted at Millwall last week! These types of goals drive me nuts when we concede them. A deserved and hard fought win was snatched away. Cardiff played their part but they didn’t deserve a share of the spoils. They were second best for much of the afternoon. The reality is in the second half that they carved out two good chances and took them. We had perhaps twice that number and didn’t. We got mugged; two points thrown away.
The Good: The overall performance. Blues played really well today and over the whole piece controlled the game. Two cracking goals in the first half.
The Bad: The defending from the corner in time added on. Near post free header reminiscent of Millwall’s second goal last week. Cardiff didn’t deserve anything from this game but poor finishing on our part and woeful marking in our box allowed them a point.
The Ugly: The drunken mob from Reading on their way to the Hawthorns. They need to remember that not all train passengers are followers of the beautiful game. Families do not want to listen to foul-mouthed chants early on a Saturday morning. There is a time and a place.
Birmingham City: Matija Sarkic 7, George Friend 7, Krystian Pederson 7, Marc Roberts 7, Dion Sanderson 7, Ivan Sunjic 8, Riley McGree 8, Jordan Graham 7, Jordan James 7, Scott Hogan 7 (Chuks Aneke 78, 6) Troy Deeney 7 (Lukas Jutkiewicz 90, N/A)
Subs not used: Neil Etheridge, Juanito Castillo, Jeremie Bela, Harlee Dean, George Hall.
Goals: Deeney 29, Sunjic 45 + 1.
Yellow cards: Sunjic 63, Friend 85.
Cardiff City: Alex Smithies 6, Mark McGuinness 7, Aden Flint 7, Curtis Nelson 7 (Mark Harris 60, 6) Perry Ng 7, Marlon Pack 6 (Will Vaulks 64, 6) Ryan Giles 7, Joe Ralls 7, Rubin Colwill 6, James Collins 6 (Isaak Davies 60, 6) Kieffer Moore 7.
Goals: Moore 66, McGuinness 90 + 1.
Subs not used: Dillon Phillips, Leandro Bacuna, Ciaron Brown, Oliver Denham.
Yellow cards: Nelson 16, Ralls 72.
Referee: Jeremy Simpson; 6: A reasonably solid game. I can’t think of any decision that adversely affected the outcome.
Attendance: 17,840
Bazza KRO
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