Birmingham City 1, Bristol City 0: Colin Tattum's big match verdict
Mar 5 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail
And injuries meant the defence could have attracted new sponsors: Help the Aged. Including the goalkeeper, the back unit’s combined age was 161 but for all the fears over mobility and endurance, they really dug in and were excellent.
Stephen Carr, one miskick apart, was again a bullish competitor and isn’t a half bad addition for someone supposedly dug up from the footballer’s graveyard, as many fans keep bemoaning.
In attack, Marcus Bent and Cameron Jerome bashed up Bristol. They exerted their physical attributes in a manner they haven’t always done this season, they were full of running and set the template for others to follow.
Lee Bowyer eagerly joined in, with his darting dashes into dangerous areas, and Sebastian Larsson’s work off the flank and delivery was like his best of old.
A let off after one-and-a-half minutes was gratefully received: ex-Blue Dele Adebola surged through but sidefooted wide of the post.
Blues heeded the warning and from there on kept Bristol on the back foot, Bowyer bringing a fine flying save from Adriano Basso three minutes later.
Radhi Jaidi hit the crossbar from a corner, and good, brisk inter-play continued.
Fans warmed to it, players’ confidence thrived.
After the break, Martin Taylor was unlucky to see a deft lob with his outstretched leg headed up and onto the crossbar, then Bowyer got his body shape all wrong when diving in unmarked to head a Larsson free-kick at the near post. It was another good chance, another agonising near miss.
Naturally, nagging doubts began to surface that a goal wasn’t going to come and Blues would fall to a sucker punch.
There was plenty of pressure on them as it was to match the previous night’s results.
For a spell Blues lost the thread somewhat. Legs became weary and Bristol enjoyed the respite, and were more adventurous. It became disjointed, yet Blues maintained their aggression and battling instincts.
Carlos Costly came on for Bent and was sprightly, and although it seemed puzzling that Sinclair was held back, it mattered not in the end when Queudrue came storming onto another well-despatched Bowyer corner.
Blues racked up just shy of 20 corners and were on their way to that figure for goal attempts.
When they put their collective heads together and turn in a display that is cohesive and bristles with such pride and passion, they are a much more formidable and convincing side, and everyone suddenly becomes a lot happier.
BLUES (4-4-2): Maik Taylor 6. Carr 7. Queudrue 7. Jaidi 7. Martin Taylor 7. LARSSON 7. Bowyer 7. Carsley 7. Bent 7 (Costly 80). Jerome 7 (Sinclair 90+2). Fahey 6. Not used: Johnson, de la Cruz, Doyle.
BRISTOL CITY (4-4-2): Basso, Orr, Fontaine, Carey, McAllister, Sproule (McCombe 81), Skuse (Maynard 71), Johnson, McIndoe, Williams, Adebola (John 64). Not used: Weale, Styvar.
Referee: J Moss (west Yorks).
