AFTER the euphoria of Europe, it’s back to the humdrum reality of the Championship for Blues.

They sit just a place above the relegation zone after the late drama at Vicarage Road.

That in itself is not something to set the alarm bells ringing this early into a season when Blues were always required to be playing catch-up with their fixtures because of the Europa League.

But once more they reprieved an opponent and caused their own problems.

And with Keith Fahey the latest casualty – he goes in for a groin operation tomorrow that is set to keep him out for three weeks – the kind of squad Chris Hughton has to work with once the transfer window has closed becomes all the more telling.

Martin Taylor calmly nodded in the equaliser two minutes into stoppage-time after Boaz Myhill failed to beat away or tip over Marvin Sordell’s shot that arrowed straight at him.

He parried it up and Taylor lolloped in as it looped down to peg Blues back for a second time, and thwart a first away win for Hughton and his boys.

Chris Wood slotted what looked to be the decisive goal in the 88th minute, but Blues were unable to maintain their advantage, this time with the end in sight.

Just as at Derby County on the opening day, and at Middlesbrough a week last Sunday, they worked and played themselves into a controlling position – twice – but their grip was not stranglehold, only flimsy.

Cameron Jerome returned to the fray as a substitute, a welcome addition, but for how long?

It could have been the last 11 minutes of his Blues career if he is sold before Wednesday.

Guirane N’Daw didn’t receive international clearance in time to make his debut and watched from the sidelines with another likely departee Scott Dann who, presumably, still had an ankle injury as Liam Ridgewell came in to replace Steven Caldwell (hamstring).

At least once the window has shut Hughton will be able to crack on in the knowledge of who is with him and for how long.

And it will enable him to try and sort out what needs improvement in relative peace.

There is not a great deal wrong with Blues, but the goalkeeper issue does have to be considered by Hughton, as Myhill misjudged a long-ranger at Derby and is coming under fire.

Hughton maintained a diplomatic stance: “For us it’s a poor goal to concede.

“When you have got a team that has worked so hard, what you don’t like to do is apportion blame.

“We discussed the game in the dressing room but that’s very much for the changing room.

“We had a very dejected group of players in there who felt we should have got more out of the game.”

When you have such an injury list stretching a thin squad, the likes of Jean Beausejour and Jonathan Spector as your midfield duo – although both again did respectable jobs – and Adam Rooney and Wood manfully leading the line in the absence of three more experienced hands, it’s not going to be plain sailing for Blues.