Blues 1-2 Preston

The second half started much the same with Blues looking the most likely and Mcfadden the most likely to create something. The first game changing incident came on 54 minutes when Williamson hacked at Larsson off the ball. The Swede crashed to the floor and dislocated his shoulder. Larsson was due to come off but the loss was to prove significant. Jerome came on and Mcfadden went wide right. It was Mcfadden who weaved a little pattern on the right and sent a dream ball to the far post where Fahey timed his run perfectly to head home.

With the Blues looking to press home their advantage and the crowd roaring them on. Bowyer, who had been at his creative best, clashed with the miscreant Williamson in a halfway line wrestling match. After a few pushes the pair locked forelocks in a girly sort of gesture. Ref Dowd clearly indicated that it was this head butting that had justified the red cards for both.

Having just lost Larsson, the loss of a second midfielder made the reshuffle difficult.  If Blues were thinking of a 4-4-1 formation then the decision was not made quick enough and on 69 minutes Preston equalised with a wonder goal from Paul McKenna. I’ll resist the hypnotic references but to beat Maik Taylor from 30 yards is a special goal indeed.

With Blues desperate for the win they kept the 4-3-2 and brought on Philips.

Jerome had a golden opportunity on 80 minutes to end Blues misery when from only 5 yards he fired over. He may have slipped as he struck the ball. Were I manager and found that Jerome was wearing ‘blades’ I would have them inserted somewhere nasty.

Preston at this point gained in confidence and revelled in the space 10 v 10 gives. Jerome had a goal disallowed and as the game swung from end to end the tiring Blues in Jaidi gave away a free kick thirty yards out. 

Wallace who is a good player swung his left foot drive which struck the inside of the post and into the net. The St Andrews crowd went into shock and the scorer went into the crowd, removed his shirt and was promptly sent off. While this law may seem petty there is no sympathy from this quarter for such stupidity.

Blues must now go to Reading and win in the Majeski to gain automatic promotion. It’s something that Blues have never done and the non-availability list has started to grow.  It would be justice if they won in front of the sell out faithful away support rather than the 4000 empty seats that were embarrassingly on show today. How tough a task that might be will depend on the result of the Norwich Reading game on Monday. 

Birmingham: Maik Taylor, Carr, Jaidi, Queudrue, Traore, Larsson (Jerome 54), Johnson, Bowyer, Fahey, O’Connor (Phillips 72), McFadden.

Subs Not Used: Doyle, Martin Taylor, Carsley.

Sent Off: Bowyer (60).

Booked: Queudrue, Bowyer, Jaidi.

Goals: Fahey 57.

Preston: Lonergan, Jones, Mawene, St. Ledger, Nolan, Sedgwick (Whaley 75), McKenna, Williamson, Wallace, Parkin (Brown 58), Mellor (Chilvers 90).

Subs Not Used: Neal, Carter.

Sent Off: Williamson (60), Wallace (90).

Booked: Parkin, Wallace.

Goals: McKenna 69, Wallace 89.

Att: 24,825

Ref: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire). Good Game.

By Alan Watton

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