Warno’s landmark day ruined as Lee’s Blues finding form
NEIL WARNOCK reached another managerial milestone – but had nothing to celebrate.
The Middlesbrough boss is aiming to better his unrivalled eight promotions as a manager.
And the old stager yesterday took charge of game 1,601 in league and cup, equalling Dario Gradi’s record.
Now Warnock, 72, is set to claim the record outright when Boro visit Luton on Tuesday.
But a home defeat that hurt was what concerned him after his side’s three-match winning run came to a shuddering halt.
Defender Marc Roberts and striker Scott Hogan scored in the space of three minutes early in the second half to make it back-toback wins for Lee Bowyer’s Birmingham.
Warnock said: “I will still be disappointed when I get home.
“I will still be horrible to be with, sat next to my missus.
“I don’t think it changes too much how many games I’ve had, but I don’t think I’ll forget nights like this when I do call it a day, when I’m fishing and managers are being put through the mill.
“Because I’ve done 1,600 games, you have to get over difficult results otherwise it drives you daft.
“I heard Steve Bruce doing 1,000 games the other day and I texted him to say, ‘You’ve only just started son’.’’
Boro’s on-loan Norwich winger Onel Hernandez made an early impression and, when he burst through on the left in the 18th minute, the Cuban created a chance for Uche Ikpeazu who couldn’t make clean contact with his header.
Blues defender Dion Sanderson, booked a minute later for felling Andraz Sporar, was lucky to escape a red card after 25 minutes for flattening Ikpeazu.
But Birmingham struck when Jordan Graham swung in a left-wing free-kick in the 53rd minute and keeper Joe Lumley came but missed his punch for Roberts to head into an unguarded goal.
Then Blues skipper Troy Deeney, who Warnock once tried to sign for Cardiff, played his part as Hogan – scorer of the only goal when the sides met here last season – beat off Sol Bamba and Lee Peltier to head the ball on before turning it past Lumley for his fourth this term.
Bowyer said: “I thought we deserved to win. Troy had a bit of calmness when the ball came to him. It was something we’ve worked on all week, Scotty trying to play on the shoulder of Bamba.
“I’m really pleased for Scotty, it’s been tough for him because he’s missed some chances, but he was brave enough to put himself in that situation.’’
Warnock added: “I hate losing like that.
“I don’t think they won it, I think we threw it away.’’
MIDDLESBROUGH: Lumley 5; McNair
6, Bamba 6, Peltier 5; Howson 6; Tavernier 5, Crooks 5 (Coburn 86th), Payero 5, Hernandez 6 (Lea Siliki
(58th) 5); Ikpeazu 5 (Watmore (41st)
5), Sporar 5
BIRMINGHAM: Sarkic 7; Sanderson
6, Roberts 7, Friend 7; Graham 7, Gardner 6, Sunjic 6, Pedersen 5 (Bela
(68th) 5); McGree 6; Hogan 8, Deeney
6 (Jutkiewicz (67th) 5)
STAR MAN: Scott Hogan
REF: J Smith