Cotterill off to flier
MACKAY: Interim role STEVE Cotterill made a dream start to life as Birmingham manager as Che Adams’ superb comeback goal stunned leaders Cardiff. Adams returned from a month out injured to net a stylish opener in Cotterill’s first game as boss. The winger, subject of a failed £10million bid from Fulham this January, shrugged off a hamstring injury just in time to give Cotterill a pre-match boost. And he was one of five changes for the new boss, whose side inflicted just a second league defeat this season on Neil Warnock’s high-flying Bluebirds and produced the perfect response to their own 6-1 defeat at Hull last time out. A half-hearted penalty appeal came to nothing for Birmingham in the opening moments. Isaac Vassell appeared to be tugged back by Sean Morrison after sprinting onto a long clearance and finding himself in the Cardiff area, but his claims did not impress referee Geoff Eltringham. Birmingham had the upper hand early on but Cardiff had a promising moment when Kenneth Zohore played a neat one-two with Craig Bryson. Zohore found himself inside the Birmingham went closer moments later following a clever pass from Zohore, but again he failed to force a save from Blues goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak.
Just before half-time, some slack Birmingham defending allowed Zohore to burst down the right but Bryson’s eventual shot was deflected wide.
Vassell had the chance to do uble Blues’ lead early in the second half but he fired too close to Etheridge after a powerful run by Cheikh Ndoye.
Bimingham should have added a second in a bizarre goalmouth scramble but were twice denied.
First Ndoye got in the way of a shot by Adams, then Cardiff defender Bruno Manga hacked off the line after a series of ricochets. Then Blues captain Michael Morrison had to make a vital interception at the other end from a Zohore cross – the first of several key blocks from the skipper that helped repel late Cardiff pressure.