Watford 0, Birmingham City 1: Colin Tattum's big match verdict
Apr 20 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail
ACCORDING to the statistics, Vicarage Road is the best ground to go to in the Championship if you want goals.
Sixty nine had been scored there, on average 3.29 a game, before the weekend.
There was fat chance of a goal-fest on Saturday with Blues, the most parsimonious top-half side in the league, in town.
And given the importance of the occasion it was never going to be a relaxed affair, full of thrills and spills.
Read the live blog and Colin Tattum's running report on the game
But the goal that did come, in the 73rd minute, viciously looping towards the top corner from Cameron Jerome’s right boot, will surely turn out to be the most significant seen at the venue this season (putting aside the ‘phantom’ goal). By a long chalk.
This match was a moment of truth for Blues. Victory was imperative, not a contribution in a 4-3 or 3-2 that would have earned pats on the back but no points.
Now the focus swings back to Sheffield United and their game at Burnley tonight.
The Blades have been riding the crest of a wave the last few weeks, bobbing along quite carefree. Suddenly, the contest for the second automatic promotion place has just got serious.
How they handle it, and deal with what Blues have had to deal with virtually week in, week out, is going to come into play.
Jerome took three minutes after coming off the substitutes bench to provide the spark that was there in the first half but showed signs of drifting from Blues in the second.
And if there’s someone you want to help get the business done at the business end in this division, look no further.
Two years ago Jerome, at the exact same stage, scored late on to provide victory at Wolves, and then broke the deadlock in what was the promotion-clinching match against Sheffield Wednesday for Blues who were handicapped by Fabrice Muamba’s sending-off.
It’s now four goals in six games for Jerome, each one of them entirely meaningful.
That Jerome didn’t start, and neither did Kevin Phillips again, were among the decisions Alex McLeish had thought plenty about, and by which history can judge you depending on how they contribute to the ultimate outcome.
