Lapses annoy O’neill
MICHAEL O’NEILL blasted his side’s leaky defence after they let slip a lead for the second straight game, missing the chance to gain ground in the play-off race.
Tyrese Campbell’s brace put the Potters ahead after 17-year-old Blues academy product Jordan James scored his first goal in senior football in the early stages.
But, five minutes after taking the lead in the second half, Birmingham skipper Gary Gardner turned in Lyle Taylor’s Cross.
O’neill said: “There are good draws and bad draws in this league – today was a bad draw for us. We need to turn games like this into three points.
“At Forest, we had two periods in the game where we got disjointed, and suffered as a result. Today was another example. The game got stretched when we were ahead and we left ourselves vulnerable.
“When opponents have had their periods, we’ve let them back in. We have a lot of young players and we are adapting to that.”
James’ 12th-minute opener came after Ben Wilmot’s misplaced pass gifted Birmingham possession 30 yards out.
Onel Hernandez pounced on the loose ball in the left channel and weaved into the box before squaring for James who turned home.
Campbell (above) beat the offside trap to level in the 24th minute, adding the faintest of touches to leave Neil Etheridge stranded, before putting his side ahead in the 52nd minute with a coolly-taken finish on the angle.
But the lead only lasted eight minutes, Gardner ideally placed to smash home Taylor’s cross after Taylor Harwood-bellis fluffed his attempted clearance.
Blues boss Lee Bowyer said: “It was an open game, but I thought we deserved a point, and they are a good side.
“James is a 17-year-old kid who is learning the game. To have the composure to pass the ball into the net, these are the things we work on.
“It is pleasing for me because he is listening and improving. I don’t want to put too much pressure on him but, if he keeps doing what he is doing, showing the hunger and desire to improve, then he will be as good as he wants to be.” STOKE: Bursik 5; Wilmot 4 (Smith 84), Jagielka 6, Harwood-bellis 5, Tymon 6; Baker 5, Allen 6, Clucas 6 (Wright-phillips 70, 6); Campbell 8 (Fletcher 78), Brown 7, Philogene-bidance 8. Subs not used: Bonham, Fox, Moore, Thompson. BIRMINGHAM: Neil Etheridge 4; Graham 7, Colin 5, Pederson 5, Bela 4; Gardner 6, Woods 7, James 7 (Sunjic 87’ 5); Hernandez 8, Taylor 6, Bacuna 6 (Jutkiewicz 82’ 5) Subs not used: Trueman, Bellingham, Khela, Oakley, Campbell MAN OF THE MATCH: Tyrese Campbell. Clever movement and a calm finish for his brace earned the Potters a point. REFEREE: Andy Davies 8.