Bac net OF THE
JUNI AND JJ GET ROO OFF THE MARK
IT’S been quite the wait but Wayne Rooney can finally celebrate a win.
The new Birmingham boss will not be getting carried away. Three points against the Championship’s bottom side hardly heralds a bright new era but it is a start.
Rooney finished with a croaky voice after delivering some home truths in the first half.
He said: “Pleased to get three points but wasn’t very pleased with the first half. My reaction at half-time was not good. The voice has gone. I wanted more and I expected more. I was surprised.”
For the first win at the sixth attempt Rooney can thank teenager Jordan James, the next best thing to come out of Wales and who has already drawn comparison with that other Blues legend, Jude Bellingham.
James was on the pitch for three minutes and showed resolve after a weak first shot to chase the rebound from a Jay Stansfield cross.
James was part of the Wales team which failed to clinch a Euros place and face a play-off next spring.
Yesterday it was a start on the bench and making the most of a match which looked like it was going to be a draw.
The first two goals came one after the other at the end of the first half. A free-kick by Josh Windass hit the post and there was George Byers to mop up.
But, out of the blue, the home side were on level terms. Koji Miyoshi’s corner was headed back out and Juninho Bacuna connected so sweetly to beat Cameron Dawson.
Both these clubs have new managers, and both those new managers had identical results, four defeats from their first five games.
It would be fair to suggest that Danny Rohl is not a household name in his own household but his coaching CV is excellent.
Rohl said: “I am frustrated and disappointed. I have spoken five times about being deserved more. Today we showed nearly what we can do.”
BIRMINGHAM: Ruddy 6; Laird 8 (Roberts (87) 6) Sanderson 7, Aiwu 6, Buchanan 7 (Drameh (78) 6); Miyoshi 6 (Donovan (87) 6), Bacuna 8 (James (78) 6), Bielik 6, Dembele 7; Burke 6 (Jutkiewicz (63) 6), Stansfield 7 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY: Dawson 7; Iorfa 6, Diaby 6, Vaulks 7; Famewo 6, Byers 6 (Fletcher (82) 6), Bannan 7, Wilkes 6 (Johnson (63) 5) Ihiekwe 6; Windass 6 (Cadamarteri (82) 6), Musaba 6 (Gassama (63) 5) STAR MAN: Ethan Laird (Birmingham) – The right-back was a constant attacking menace and did his defensive duties too. REF: Rebecca Welch 7