GRIMES IN BATTLE CRY

Hudd’field 1 Birm’ham

Stoke v Swansea BY JAMES NURSEY

Kick-off 8.15pm

SWANSEA skipper Matt Grimes has challenged his team-mates to continue their bounce-back record.

The Welsh club suffered a first home league defeat since October on Saturday as Bristol City won 3-1 after Swansea had gone in front. But Steve Cooper’s promotion hopefuls are yet to taste consecutive defeats this term ahead of tonight’s trip to Stoke.

Midfielder Grimes (above), 25, said: “It’s testament to the character and mentality of the team that we always bounce back from a loss.

“Hopefully we can do that again. We’re still in a very good position.

“We’re having a very good season. It is a tough place to go but we’ll be ready again.

“We let ourselves down on Saturday. I don’t think we played badly but conceded three sloppy goals. We need to dust ourselves down and go again.”

BY IAN MURTAGH

FRAIZER CAMPBELL scored his customary goal against Birmingham but it wasn’t enough to earn struggling Huddersfield a much-needed win over their relegation rivals.

The Terriers striker pounced on a poor Harlee Dean clearance to break the deadlock on 63 minutes, Campbell firing in left footed for his eighth goal in 11 games against the Blues. The lead lasted just four minutes with Marc Roberts (above) forcing the ball in after a goalmouth scramble to give Aitor Karanka’s side a six point cushion over third-bottom Rotherham.

Neither goalkeeper was tested in a dull opening period as the two sides provided damning evidence why they have mustered just four wins between them since the New Year.

Birmingham’s Ivan Sanchez tried to rise above the drudgery twice with efforts but failed both times.