TOMASZ ENSURES ROBINS FEEL BLUE
SUBSTITUTE Che Adams may grab most of the headlines but it was keeper Tomasz Kuszczak who Birmingham boss Gary Rowett singled out following this victory.
Adams was introduced with Bristol City on top in the second half and his goal earned the Blues all three points despite Jonathan Spector’s late red card.
But it could have been much different but for some fingertip saves from Kuszczak, which ensured the visitors have still not beaten Birmingham since 1993.
“I don’t think there are too many keepers who make the sort of saves he makes,” Rowett said of Kuszczak.
“He makes big saves – he’s got strong arms, strong hands – and sometimes those are the moments that turn games in your favour.
“We were better than them first half, but second half we were a little sloppy and had to defend well.
“But the one thing we’ve got at the moment is really good options off the bench, and I think the substitutes did change the game.
“That’s the second goal Che has scored coming off the bench, which is not something we’ve had very often, so I’m really pleased with that.”
Birmingham created the best chances in the first half, and Clayton Donaldson hit the post on 11 minutes after Maikel Kieftenbeld’s inch-perfect through ball.
Kuszczak pulled off his first big save on the quarter-hour though, tipping Tammy Abraham’s powerful header over after Joe Bryan’s corner.
Still, Birmingham continued to create chances and David Davis shot just wide from 20 yards in the 17th minute before Lukas Jutkiewicz was denied one-on-one four minutes later.
Jutkiewicz went close again on 34 minutes, heading David Cotterill’s hanging cross wide across goal.
Bristol City improved after the break though, and Marlon Pack’s powerful shot, after good work from Abraham, brought another fingertip save from Kuszczak on 49 minutes.
Birmingham chances were fewer in the second half, but Aden Flint blocked Jutkiewicz’s goal-bound effort on 55 minutes, and the striker, unmarked, could not beat Fielding with a header just moments later.
Tomlin had another free-kick chance on 78 minutes, after being brought down by Michael Morrison, but Kuszczak turned his dipping 25yard strike onto the bar.
And Adams finally broke the deadlock, against the run of play, with nine minutes remaining, firing in from close range when Morrison flicked Greg Stewart’s corner on.
Spector’s straight red card, for a lunging tackle on Tomlin, meant Birmingham had to see out stoppage time with ten but Lee Johnson was left to ponder what might have been.
“Kuszczak has pulled off some great saves, he’s had a good game, and I’m disappointed obviously not to come away with anything,” he said.
“At Championship level, games are always on a fine balance and I’m disappointed with the goal we conceded but I can’t be too critical because I thought we were fantastic second-half. You have to make sure the inches are dealt with though, and we didn’t do that for the goal.
“Away from home, there’s probably a little bit of experience or mental strength lacking and those are the inches I’m talking about.
“The tiny little details just aren’t quite going for us at the moment.”