Birmingham snatch dramatic point against Derby
Article by Rick Lopez
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"We’re Birmingham City, we’ll fight to the end,” shouted the away fans, as they desperately tried to spur on a team losing 2-0 to top of the table Derby County. The home fans, they were leaving, content in the knowledge that it had been another easy three points for Steve McClaren’s side. The broadcasters were elsewhere, at more exciting matches, with more goals. The scene was set.
Only 3 minutes of added time appeared on the board, but the players and fans were not disheartened. Robert Tesche made a marauding run into the box, and what seemed to be a fair tackle from Derby’s Thomas Ince was given instead as a Blues penalty. A consolation goal, the remaining home fans sniggered. Paul Caddis stepped up, and rocketed the ball into the middle of the net. 2-1 to Derby. The Blues players sprinted back towards the centre circle. Game on.
Birmingham continued the pressure, knowledgeable of the fact that the three minutes could run out and the game could be ended at any time. Caddis sent a long throw down the line to Clayton Donaldson, who was pulled down by Derby’s Craig Forsyth. The referee, oblivious to the fact that the original added time was up, awarded a free kick. It was swung into the penalty box, where defender Rob Kiernan headed it goal-wards, but his effort was saved by the goalkeeper for a corner.
This was to be the last move of the game, David Cotterill quickly ran to the corner flag and whipped the ball into the box, where it met with the onrushing head of goalkeeper Darren Randolph, up for the corner in desperation, whose header was wayward and off-target, ending up with striker Wes Thomas on the right hand side of the box. Time seemed to stand still as he bicycle kicked it into the air, and 6ft 1 Clayton Donaldson, with all his might, forced it into the back of the net. The devastated Derby players looked on in despair. The comeback was over. 2-2.
A dramatic game, and in truth, one Blues didn’t deserve to take a point from. Defensively, Blues were awful, and Derby’s two goals exposed serious weaknesses at the back. For their first, the Blues defence switched off after a Derby cross was palmed away by Randolph, and Joel Ward got to the rebound first. For the second, Jonathans Grounds showed Tom Ince on to his prefered left foot, and the winger provided a clinical finish. However, with the defensively excellent Michael Morrison returning from injury in a few weeks, the Blues defence should gradually become stronger.
The two Blues goals also came with some luck, and the referee had a poor game. Most people in the ground could see that Tom Ince had won the ball with his challenge, and the resulting penalty was the turning point that spurred Blues on. However, as the maxim goes, the decisions do seem to even themselves out over the season, and Blues have had the countless penalty appeals wavered in recent weeks.
There was also controversy over the length of stoppage time played, as the final amount totalled 7 minutes, whereas the original time was only supposed to be 3. Some would argue that the penalty added to that original tally, but it didn’t take 4 minutes. If the whistle had blown earlier, Derby would have been victorious.
However, all criticisms and luck aside, Blues showed real character and determination to stay focused until the end of a game, a trait that had been lacking under previous manager Lee Clark. After going through a rough patch, Gary Rowett’s squad now seem safe in the Championship for now, but you just never know with Blues. Hopefully they can keep fighting up until the end of the season, just like they did in this match.
© e-Football 2015 All rights reserved no part of this document or this website may be reproduced without consent of e-Football
Subscribe to the e-Football Podcast on iTunes (Click Here)
"We’re Birmingham City, we’ll fight to the end,” shouted the away fans, as they desperately tried to spur on a team losing 2-0 to top of the table Derby County. The home fans, they were leaving, content in the knowledge that it had been another easy three points for Steve McClaren’s side. The broadcasters were elsewhere, at more exciting matches, with more goals. The scene was set.
Only 3 minutes of added time appeared on the board, but the players and fans were not disheartened. Robert Tesche made a marauding run into the box, and what seemed to be a fair tackle from Derby’s Thomas Ince was given instead as a Blues penalty. A consolation goal, the remaining home fans sniggered. Paul Caddis stepped up, and rocketed the ball into the middle of the net. 2-1 to Derby. The Blues players sprinted back towards the centre circle. Game on.
Birmingham continued the pressure, knowledgeable of the fact that the three minutes could run out and the game could be ended at any time. Caddis sent a long throw down the line to Clayton Donaldson, who was pulled down by Derby’s Craig Forsyth. The referee, oblivious to the fact that the original added time was up, awarded a free kick. It was swung into the penalty box, where defender Rob Kiernan headed it goal-wards, but his effort was saved by the goalkeeper for a corner.
This was to be the last move of the game, David Cotterill quickly ran to the corner flag and whipped the ball into the box, where it met with the onrushing head of goalkeeper Darren Randolph, up for the corner in desperation, whose header was wayward and off-target, ending up with striker Wes Thomas on the right hand side of the box. Time seemed to stand still as he bicycle kicked it into the air, and 6ft 1 Clayton Donaldson, with all his might, forced it into the back of the net. The devastated Derby players looked on in despair. The comeback was over. 2-2.
A dramatic game, and in truth, one Blues didn’t deserve to take a point from. Defensively, Blues were awful, and Derby’s two goals exposed serious weaknesses at the back. For their first, the Blues defence switched off after a Derby cross was palmed away by Randolph, and Joel Ward got to the rebound first. For the second, Jonathans Grounds showed Tom Ince on to his prefered left foot, and the winger provided a clinical finish. However, with the defensively excellent Michael Morrison returning from injury in a few weeks, the Blues defence should gradually become stronger.
The two Blues goals also came with some luck, and the referee had a poor game. Most people in the ground could see that Tom Ince had won the ball with his challenge, and the resulting penalty was the turning point that spurred Blues on. However, as the maxim goes, the decisions do seem to even themselves out over the season, and Blues have had the countless penalty appeals wavered in recent weeks.
There was also controversy over the length of stoppage time played, as the final amount totalled 7 minutes, whereas the original time was only supposed to be 3. Some would argue that the penalty added to that original tally, but it didn’t take 4 minutes. If the whistle had blown earlier, Derby would have been victorious.
However, all criticisms and luck aside, Blues showed real character and determination to stay focused until the end of a game, a trait that had been lacking under previous manager Lee Clark. After going through a rough patch, Gary Rowett’s squad now seem safe in the Championship for now, but you just never know with Blues. Hopefully they can keep fighting up until the end of the season, just like they did in this match.
© e-Football 2015 All rights reserved no part of this document or this website may be reproduced without consent of e-Football
"Robert Tesche made a marauding run into the box, and what seemed to be a fair tackle from Derby’s Thomas Ince..." Oh, so you saw the challenge, but missed the push on Tesche then? I suggest you watch it again!
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