Monk rues missed opportunity at Robins

GARRY Monk lamented a night of missed opportunities for Birmingham City on Tuesday night – both in front of goal and in the league table.

Bristol City ran out 3-1 winners at Ashton Gate, and Blues go to Wolves on Sunday one place and three points above the bottom three, but Monk claimed it could have been better.

“We look at that as a missed opportunity,” the Blues boss said.

“Coming in here a big issue was that as a team we were not creating enough opportunities.

“I think we have definitely addressed that – but you need to be able to take them, at any point of the season – but especially at this stage of the season.

“In the last two games we have probably created enough chances to win five or six games.

“You have to take them. That’s the disappointment for us.

“That was the difference in the game, Bristol were more clinical with their chances.

“Albeit the other results have gone our way, so it’s the same position as when we stated but one game less.

“If feels a missed opportunity. We could have added a point or three points to create more distance so I am frustrated with that.”

And he was not pleased with the nature of Marlon Pack and Bobby Reid’s first half goals, before Lukas Jutkiewicz pulled on back.

“They are fighting for their reasons. We knew they would maybe change a couple of things because they have to win the game as well.

“If I am honest their first couple of goals were poor from our point of view. The free kick has gone in the middle of the goal, we should do better with that. The second goal is avoidable.

“We responded well with the goal and then second half had we have not done that we would definitely have put their crowd into a nervy situation.

“They are the fine margins, the difference tonight was Bristol were more clinical. We had the best opportunities in the game and didn’t take them.”

Meanwhile, Monk is hopeful, though not confident, Sam Gallagher could be fit to play against Wolves.

With Che Adams suspended – and Gallagher injured for the last month, Blues have Jutkiewicz as their only fit senior striker.