Birmingham 0 Stoke 0 – 14/8/21 3pm
A cleansheet at St Andrews. Stoke would take that every week, surely. A point seems fair, although the Blues thought they’d pinched it in the last minute. But no. Hard luck, guys. Here’s how the game unfolded in real time:
–
Two sides of the Brum ground is closed, and their fans aren’t pleased. But that doesn’t bother Lee Bowyer who starts ex-Potters Ryan Woods and Scott Hogan as if just to annoy Michael O’Neill & the boys. Both actually look fit, for a change! Clucas has to fit the shoes of injured Vrancic, Surridge squeezes out Jacob, and Harry & Leo Oystercard somehow get nod over Batth and Foxy. (Wilmot gets pushed to left back.) There’s obviously fierce competition for places!
–
0.00 Stoke contingent start off pointing out that Birmingham have an awful ground and no fans! Stoke in stripes; no outing for the lovely green strip.
–
0.55 First chance to Fletch who looks like he handles before shooting straight at the keeper’s knees. Nobody seems to notice apart from some Blues fans who aren’t sure where they are in the stadium anyway.
–
18.10 Nick Powell tumbles Ryan Woods over the advertising hoardings, and Ryan is very indignant. Nick just shrugs. Ryan just shrugs. See where this goes.
–
20.44 Foul throw by Tommy “Cracker” Smith. Strange the ref didn’t pick up on a Birmingham one a few minutes earlier.
–
21.19 Hogan clips a shot just wide to wake up Blues fans. Bursik looking nervous at the back – clearly not used to playing in front of such a noisy crowd.
–
31.30 As Powell tries to lob to the strikers in the box, it’s interesting to note how less imposing Stoke look without Vrancic. He’s left big shoes for Clucas to fill, big clown-sized ones!
–
41.46 As Brum break, Scott Hogan is put through, but unsurprisingly shoots badly wide. Just like he did at Stoke. He won’t want to see that again. Me, I could watch it all day.
–
44.28 Now it’s Ben Wilmot’s turn to bundle a player off the pitch, as Jutkiewicz almost ends up back in the dugout!
–
45.00 HT City 0 City 0
–
48.01 Leo is pulled back badly by his shirt and wins a free kick. Worse, the ref runs over and…no, he doesn’t yellow card the offender, but gets his microphone straightened!
–
53.55 After Ostigard & Harry are both turfed off the ball, Bursik plays another clearance into touch.
–
56.55 Clucas gets caught not filling Mario’s shoes, and is yellowed beside the centre circle.
–
58.52 Surridge gets his big chance and slips over. Not his day, time for Jacob! Then Sam gets another go, crosses, but Powell & Fletcher cannot convert! Stoke having a purple period.
–
65.10 Scott Hogan replaced by the huge Aneke. Meanwhile Powell is yellowed for tapping Gardner’s heels, who takes a few seconds to throw himself to the floor!
–
72.42 Joe Allen caught trying to play the passing game in the centre. Aneke somehow fails to capitalise, scared by Bursik and cleaned up by Benny Wilmot.
–
75.35 Jacob Brown finally on for Surridge. Sadly, we’ve lost the ball, but a ball boy finally finds one in the empty stand. There’s only ONE guy for the whole stand! Blimey, now the sun’s come out!
–
81.40 Gardner cynically interferes with a free kick, and despite a ref warning, still fails to get a yellow card. Unbelievable.
–
89.58 Birmingham’s Gardner scores, but it’s given offside!!! Makes up for him not getting that card. Twice.
–
90+1 Keeper Sarkic comes out to do a flying header! Then Thompson replaces Fletch.
–
90+3 Somehow this has finished 0-0! A point. A cleansheet. No complaints.
