The day started very early at just before 05.30 to be exact. Nellie, our little Cockerpoo puppy who is only just six months old was letting me know that she needed to go out for a pee and I took the opportunity to do the same while she explored the back garden. I got up an hour later anyway, shaved and showered and went downstairs to make coffee and tea for everyone. My youngest son, Ben had come up from his home in Chippenham to take in the game. Will and little Will weren’t able to make it to the match today and offered their tickets which Ben gratefully accepted. Mrs Bazza and Ben were soon up and about with Nellie’s help and after some eggs for breakfast, Ben and I were soon on our way down to Blackwater for the train. It was a bright, mild day that promised to get warmer later on. We caught our connection on time at Reading and met up with Jack at Coventry before proceeding onwards to St Andrew’s for some food and a pint in the fan park.
Like many, I watched the Bolton game on Tuesday when we were well beaten by a hard-working Trotters side. Having taken the lead and looking in control, we conceded a poor goal that has to be laid at the feet of Peacock-Farrell who got beaten at the near post for what is considered a never event in football circles. Bolton suddenly got belief, our defenders started sitting back concerned about our keeper which meant the midfield also flattened out and our attacking threat evaporated. Add to that, Peacock-Farrell hesitating in coming for a cross which got flicked on for a tap in from two or three yards because of lack of command of the six-yard box and we were behind in a game that we should have been winning. We never recovered after that.
There has been a lot of criticism of Bailey Peacock-Farrell following this game and I understand comments from both sides of the argument. Knocking the lad’s confidence by not getting behind him is unhelpful and I get that but there were numerous errors which cost goals and his place early in the season and it doesn’t appear to have changed. He is however, an experienced keeper and moreover, a Northern Ireland international. It begs the question therefore as to why his performances for Blues have been so poor. I think the club has a decision to make in the summer if things don’t improve since on present performance he’s not good enough to be back up, let alone number one. As it stands we have to go with it and try as fans to support him.
The issue didn’t arise as Ryan Allsop was restored to the starting line up. Blues were soon on the front foot and almost got off to a dream start when Emil Hansson crossed in from the left to the incoming Taylor Gardner-Hickman but his contact was too tame to beat Wickens in goal for the Imps. Gardner-Hickman produced the closest effort a few minutes later when after an excellent ball from Paik, his fierce shot from the edge of the area was parried over the bar by Wickens. Further chances came and went for Blues with Lincoln’s only attempts not on target with their greatest threat coming from set pieces and long throw ins. In truth they were chasing shadows for most of the first period. There were several occasions when we got into good field position but crosses from wide were too frequently floated up rather than whipped in with pace. Wickens as a result ended up getting catching practice or Lincoln’s defensive rearguard had easy clearance headers. Paik, Iwata and Paik again went close but the best chance of the half came right at the end of the period. It fell to Emil Hansson who got a one on one and space to run at his defender. He turned inside, burrowed into the box and unleashed a right footed curling effort towards the far post. Sadly, the paint was peeled off the upright on the wrong side and a goal kick was all it was worth.
Lincoln did have the odd foray forward but failed to trouble Allsop throughout the game. Their six attempts on goal resulted in none on target. They started a little more brightly in the second half but it wasn’t long before Blues were dominating possession and running the Imps around. Like many teams this season, it gets to 70 minutes or so and the team that has been chasing the ball are tiring. Decision making becomes increasingly difficult in these circumstances especially when Blues are able to bring on fresh legs and minds around that time. Keshi Anderson back after injury made a big difference as he terrorised Jovan Makama beating the full back repeatedly. A pass into Tomoki Iwata from the winger in the centre of the penalty box led to a rash lunge by Sam Clucas and Mr Rock had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Fully expecting Jay Stansfied to take the kick it was surprising that he left that responsibility to Kieran Dowell. Dowell confidently strode up to the ball and dispatched it high into Wickens’ left top corner.
1-0 is always a score line of jeopardy and although Lincoln didn’t score, they did give it a go. Ben Davies blocked a Darikwa drive but right at the end Blues nearly contrived to throw two points away when Cochrane’s wayward clearance was seized upon by Freddie Draper who fed Reeco Hackett for a glorious chance with only Ryan Allsop to beat. In fairness Hackett was perhaps wider than he would have liked but his shot was skewed wide. I remember puffing out my cheeks and thinking “lucky there!” Blues could have made the result more emphatic when in time added on, Alfie May broke away and squared for Iwata only for Wickens to stifle the chance. The correct side won this game but it should have been more comfortable.
The Good: The game; this was a decent match which Blues largely dominated. It was good to win which should have been more emphatic in truth.
The Bad: The failure to make Blues superiority more clear cut.
The Ugly: Nothing; it was a great day.
Birmingham City: Ryan Allsop 7 Krystian Bielik 7 (Willum Willumsson 53, 6) Ben Davies 7, Christoph Klarer 8, Alex Cochrane 7, Paik Seung-ho 7, Tomoki Iwata 8, Kieran Dowell 8 (Grant Hanley 88, N/A) Taylor Gardner-Hickman 7 Emil Hansson 7 (Keshi Anderson 53, 7) Jay Stansfield 7 (Alfie May 71, 6)
Subs not used: Bailey Peacock-Farrell, Marc Leonard, Lukas Jutkiewicz.
Goals: Dowell (pen) 71.
Yellow cards: Stansfield 23, Klarer 32, Allsop 45+1.
Lincoln City: George Wickens 7, Adam Jackson 7 (Tom Hamer 80, 6) Paudie O’Connor 7, Sean Roughan 6, Tendayi Darikwa 7 (Gardner 75, 6) Conor McGrandles 7, Tom Bayliss 6 (Sam Clucas 65, 5) Ben House 6, Dom Jeffries 7, Jovan Makama 6 (Reeco Hackett 65, 7) James Collins 7 (Freddie Draper 65, 6)
Subs not used: Zach Jeacock, Ethan Hamilton.
Goals: None
Yellow cards: McGrandles 85.
Referee: David Rock 6: Overall, I go on how much notice the referee generated and if I didn’t notice him much it generally denotes a decent performance. That is the case here. I thought the man in the middle and his two assistants officiated the game well for the most part but I found it baffling that he booked Stansfield, Klarer and Allsop for fairly minor issues and yet cynical holding fouls went unpunished. It was not until the 85th minute that McGrandles finally went in the book for cynically holding Keshi Anderson to ironic cheers from the home faithful.
Attendance: 26,210
Bazza KRO
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