LEE PUTS WELLS ON SPOT AGAIN
Penalty expert Camp out to spoil Nahki’s Robins debut
BIRMINGHAM’S spot-kick king Lee Camp aims to wreck Nahki Wells’ Bristol City Ashton Gate debut tonight.
Striker Wells joined the promotion-chasing Robins on deadline day from Burnley for £5million to boost their bid to reach the Premier League.
He is line to play but in his way stands in-form Camp, 35, who last weekend saved his 17th career penalty – from Lewis Grabban in Brum’s 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest.
Just for good measure, Camp followed it up with a couple more saves in Blues’ FA Cup fourthround replay shoot-out victory over Coventry as he denied Liam Walsh and Jamie Allen (right).
His form has helped Pep Clotet’s men go seven matches unbeaten all told.
Now he is ready to frustrate
Wells again after stopping his last-gasp penalty in Birmingham’s 4-3 win a year ago at QPR, where the Bermuda international was on loan.
Camp said: “I don’t mind being known for it – it’s better than being known as poor in front of penalties.
“I have faced enough and we do our research.
“Ideally, we would not give them away and I would be more than happy if I don’t have to face another pen. But I saved one off Nahki Wells last year.”
Camp, capped eight times by Northern Ireland, saved two of Coventry’s three spot-kicks as Brum won the shoot-out 4-1.
He was beaten only by sub
Matthew Godden, who smashed his 12-yarder into the top corner.
“If they put it in the top or bottom corner you don’t have much of a chance,” said Camp.
“You just try and stay focused – look at the penalty taker and what he has done.
“I see some goalkeepers jumping about but I try to switch off everything and concentrate on the job in hand.
“It’s a game of chess with the penalty taker and you know he may change his mind at the last second.”
Bristol City boss Lee Johnson, would love to celebrate four years in the job with a win.
He said: “I’m definitely older, definitely a little more grey,.
“I can honestly look myself in the mirror and say if it ended tomorrow that I have given everything for the cause.
“That won’t change and of course I want to accomplish the mission, to help the boys and fans produce Premier League football.”