Birmingham City 2 v Derby County 2 - EFL Championship

Friday 19th April 2019
SkyBet EFL Championship
at St. Andrew's
Birmingham City (2) 2
Lukas Jutkiewicz 2
Michael Morrison 18
Derby County (2) 2
Martin Waghorn 7
Richard Keogh 28
Attendance: 23,902 (inc. 2,978 away fans)
THE66POW Point & hope photo gallery: Click HERE

Birmingham City:
Camp, Colin, Morrison, Dean, Pedersen; Jota, G Gardner, Davis, Maghoma, Jutkiewicz (Vassell 79), Adams.
Unused subs - Roberts, Harding, C Gardner, Mrabti, Lakin, Trueman.

Derby County:
Roos, Bogle, Keogh, Tomori, Cole; Bryson, Johnson, Mount, Lawrence (Nugent 84), Waghorn (Marriott 71), Wilson (Bennett 71).
Unused subs - Wisdom, Evans, Huddlestone, Carson.

Lukas Jutkiewicz gave the home side a flying start with a goal in only the second minute, meaning that he'd now scored in back to back games, when he netted at the back post from Jota's corner,
But four minutes later, the Rams were level, when Martyn Waghorn lobbed Lee Camp, after having been picked out by Craig Bryson's long knock forward, that left the experienced Blues keeper with no option but to charge off of his line, in a vainglorious attempt to limit the danger posed by Waghorn..
Michael Morrison restored Birmingham's lead from close range, after Kelle Roos could only parry Gary Gardner's header towards the Blues captain, but Derby were soon on level terms once again, when Richard Keogh met Ashley Cole's cross with a thumping header..

Jutkiewicz almost claimed a winning goal for Garry Monk's side, when he directed a header against the upright from another Jota corner, and firing just inches past the same post when a quick Blues counter attck had unlocked the Derby defence.
Camp did well to deny Fikayo Tomori twice, late on, with a great double save.
Birmingham have responded well since their nine-point deduction plunged them into an unexpected battle against the drop to League One, having lost just once in their last five games; a run during which they have taken points off of two promotion challengers, namely: Leeds United and Sheffield United.

The draw saw play-off chasing Derby hold onto eighth place in the table, three points behind Middlesbrough, but with a game in hand.
While 18th placed Blues took another step closer towards securing their Championship safety, because they now hold a seven point lead over the highest placed of the bottom three clubs (Rotherham United), with just three games to play. Which means a point at the Millers 'New York Stadium' on Monday afternoon, will be enough to banish any apparent relegation worries this season, once and for all.

In the aftermath of this entertaining draw, the Rams manager Frank Lampard moaned and groaned about everything and anything (pretty much like he had done throughout the game), while Birmingham City's manager, Garry Monk said :
"Considering we were playing against another promotion candidate we acquitted ourselves fantastically well.
"My players have shown great effort and commitment. We have a good structure and always look a threat.
"We now want to finish the season strongly as it has been tough for everyone as a lot of things have gone on."
FT: Birmingham City 2 v Derby County 2

I'm having some family time this coming weekend... because there really is far more to life than football, but this blog will be back on Monday, featuring: Rotherham United v Birmingham City, and Tuesday; covering events at the Keepmoat Stadium, where Doncaster Rovers face Accrington Stanley.