I left work in Guildford just before four o’clock, half an hour after I had intended, there having been an extra appointment tacked onto to my day despite my protestations to be away early. Fortunately, I managed to clear the M25 just before 16.30 the time it seems when the ethereal trap door shuts and the traffic like the movement of molecules at absolute zero ceases. Generally, once on the M40 things are fine and I made good progress up to Baginton to meet up with Chris and Little Jack.
After a pint, it was time to hit the road. Chris had, the day before, been up to St Andrews to collect our tickets for the trip to Braga next week and he therefore had my passport and my season ticket card which I was to get back off him. Chris excitedly waved the tickets at me and said, “Baz, this is what Braga tickets look like!” He then handed me my passport and said, “the card is inside because I kept them all together.” The problem was, it wasn’t and so we started scrabbling around the floor of Chris’ car for my season ticket card which was nowhere to be seen. Just on the point when I was beginning to think that I was going to have to order a replacement, Chris suddenly said that he had it in his wallet after all and must have done that to keep it super safe. It was at this juncture that the decision to give me the Braga tickets for safe-keeping was taken! 🙂
After a trip down the A45 to St Andrews we visited the Royal George for a quick pint and got in just before kick-off. Zigic had come in for Wood alongside King but otherwise the team was very much as you were from Saturday. Blues got such an ideal start, scoring after just two minutes. The move leading up to it was a thing of beauty. Burke played a short pass into Nikola Zigic and he knocked a return towards Marlon King who brilliantly dummied allowing the ball to pass between his feet putting Burke clean through in the area. He tried to chip Lee Grant in the Burnley goalkeeper but the keeper got his foot to the ball to divert it up onto the crossbar. I don’t know how many times Blues have hit the woodwork so far this season but we should start keeping a count. It must be well into double figures. The groan from the crowd instantly turned to cheers as the rebound fell to Jean Beausejour who volleyed perfectly into the roof of the net. It was a very fine finish from a tight angle and one that on another night could have gone anywhere.
Just like Saturday’s game against Peterborough, Blues were all over their opponents and carved out a number of openings but failed to add to the goals tally. They really should have doubled the lead in the 35th minute when King was culpable of what must be the miss of the season. Chris told me after the game that his view from high up in the Gil Merrick stand showed that the ball was just a little bit behind him when the pass from Zigic came in and he had to drag it. From where I was it looked an absolute sitter. Zigic closed down David Edgar as the defender dithered and blocked his attempted pass. Clean through he could have been forgiven for taking the shot on himself but chose unselfishly to square the ball to King in splendid isolation, middle of goal and eight yards out only for the striker to side foot wide of the post. The shock on the faces of those around me summed up my personal anguish as I don’t think I took my hands away from my face for over a minute, such was my utter disbelief at what we had all just witnessed. How costly was this incident going to prove? Burnley had produced no threat of their own and were there for the taking but as so often happens at our place it seems, we found ourselves only 1-0 up in a game that should have been won at the break.
Prophetically enough, with just four minutes gone in the second half Burnley drew level. Exactly like on Saturday, Beausejour again gave away another needless free-kick in an identical position to the one that we conceded that time Preston beat us with promotion all but assured two seasons ago. Moreover it was to be the same player who scored that day to take it. Fortunately, on this occasion, Ross Wallace’s shot deflected off the wall for a corner. However, the reprieve was temporary as Blues went to sleep at the set piece. The corner was taken short to Wallace who swung the ball in but Curtis Davies, who was excellent all night, headed clear to the edge of the area. His team mates were ball watching and this allowed Marvin Bartley to hammer the ball back goalwards. The shot took at least one deflection if not two giving Boaz Myhill little chance. Once again, a game that Blues had complete control of was now an awkward task. The equaliser gave the visitors a huge boost in confidence and Burnley started to play with a bit more swagger fancying that there may be more than a draw on offer.
Blues chances were fewer and farther between as just like the Peterborough game they lost their way and the play became disjointed. However, Keith Fahey went close with a 20-yarder that flew just over and Redmond replaced the tiring Beausejour to try and freshen things up. The run of the ball has not been going Blues way just recently and this appeared to be continuing as anything that was played into the Burnley penalty area seemed to drop to a defender rather than one of our players. It didn’t help that Blues continued to miss good opportunities and a wonderful cross by Redmond right onto the head of Zigic at the far post was fluffed down past the post when it was probably easier to score. His complaints that he was tugged back cut no ice with Mr Madley, the referee who gave a goal kick and told Zigic to get on with it. Heads were in hands again as many made their way towards the exits in the belief that the chance to win had gone. That was until Fahey picked the ball up in midfield and set off towards the left flank before feeding Redmond. The youngster combined with Murphy who executed a give-and-go with Nathan Redmond once again. The full back was suddenly in behind the Burnley back line and burst into the penalty area. Keeping his composure he picked out Burke coming in square of him who crashed the ball home in the first minute of stoppage time. Instead of the usual roar of YEEEESSSSSSSSS!!!!!! It was more like THAAAAANK GOD FOR THAT!!!!!!!!!! So tangible was the relief from the St Andrews faithful. Devastating for the Burnley players and their fans of course but it was no more than Blues deserved over the course of the whole game.
The Good: The fact that Blues won when they could have so easily thrown another two points away. Some of the play from Blues was excellent particularly in the first half. The goals we scored both came from beautifully constructed moves.
The Bad: It has to be Marlon King’s miss I’m afraid. Poor defending from the corner leading to Burnley’s goal.
The Ugly: The Assistant Referee on the Kop side when compared to his counterpart the other side of the pitch. Mr Buonassisi doesn’t quite cut it when compared with Amy Fearn! 😀 On a serious note, both officials performed very well in their respective roles I thought.
Birmingham City (4-4-2): Myhill 6, Carr 8, Murphy 8, Davies 8, Caldwell 7, Burke 7, Spector 6, Fahey 6, King 5 (Wood, 88), Zigic 7. Beausejour 6 (Redmond 69, 7).
Subs not used: Doyle, Pablo, Elliott. Booking: Murphy (67, foul)
Burnley (4-4-2): Grant 7, Trippier 7, Easton 6, Edgar 6, Duff 6, Wallace 8, Bartley 7, McCann 6 (Marney, 59, 7), Rodriguez 6, Vokes 6, Treacy 6 (Amougou, 89, N/A).
Subs not used: Stewart, Stanislas, Hines. Booking: Easton (88, foul)
Attendance: 16,253
Referee: R Madley (West Yorks) 6: It was a game of two halves for the referee. He had a good first half keeping the game flowing and sensibly running the game. After the break he started getting fussy about which blade of grass free kicks should be taken from and I felt he missed several blatant pushes on Zigic. He gave the big man very little and sometimes I think referees tend to feel that big players should be able to brush everything off. They are still fouled if they are pushed in the back. Incidentally I think he (Zigic) had a case when he missed the header. I think he probably was pulled back.
P.S. Off to Braga with Chris next week folks. Can’t go to Blackpool at the weekend, not if I value my health! She who must be obeyed has spoken! Special report on next week’s match to come.
Bazza
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