Barnsley 1 Birmingham City 1 - full time report

Mar 11 2009 by Andy Walker, Birmingham Post

BARNSLEY 1 BIRMINGHAM CITY 1

Martin Taylor rehabilitated himself within the space of three minutes to spare Birmingham City’s blushes at Oakwell.

A cold Tuesday night in Barnsley is an unlikely place to find a mosquito but that is exactly what Taylor was stung by in the 82nd minute.

Michael Mifsud, who attracted his pest-like nickname during his cup giant-killing antic with Coventry City, pounced on the centre-half’s weak header from Jamal Campbell-Ryce’s cross to fire home what looked to be the hosts’ winner.

However, within three minutes Birmingham were level as Taylor found the perfect insect repellent to make amends. Sebastian Larsson whipped a free-kick into a melee in the area, Heinz Muller made an intial save but couldn’t stop Taylor hooking home.

Despite the late joy of an equaliser, Alex McLeish should be severely concerned with his side’s lack of a ruthless edge in front of goal.

Fortunately, and bizarrely, the status quo remains with the Championship’s promotion race as once again Wolverhampton Wanderers and Reading managed to replicate Birmingham’s result.

It was a hard fought battle at Oakwell for Birmingham, who on reflection may well be grateful with the point they returned from South Yorkshire with.

McLeish was forced to make one change to the side that saw off Southampton on Saturday, Lee Bowyer was ruled out with an abductor injury which resulted in Damien Johnson making his first start for Birmingham since the end of December. As expected Garry O’Connor was named as a substitute, albeit an unused one, after making a long-awaited return from a groin injury originally sustained back in October.

Barnsley, who were wearing black armbands in memory of their Brazilian team-mate Anderson de Silva’s mother who died suddenly last Monday, started with a pacey, attacking line-up. A somewhat unique formation of 4-1-3-1-1 was obviously designed to hand Birmingham’s ageing back line a torrid time.

After taking a few moments to suss each other out, it was Birmingham who produced the first clear cut goal-scoring opportunity in the ninth minute. Larsson’s free-kick from the right flank found the rising head of Carlos Costly but the Honduran’s effort flew at least a foot over Muller’s crossbar.

It was Barnsley’s turn three minutes later. Rob Kozluk’s cross from the left was headed clear by Franck Queudrue but only as far as Daniel Bogdanovic. Fortunately Queudrue was back on his feet quick enough to block the Maltese international’s shot.

The home side bombarded their visitors with a series of free-kicks and three yellow cards were handed out during the first-half.

Barnsley’s best chance of the first-half arrived in the 26th minute. Jon Macken played Bogdanovic down the right flank whose low cross met compatriot Michael Mifsud. However the presence of Larsson and a slippery surface saw Mifsud’s shot fizz wide.

Lee Carsley, still wearing a bandage on his head to cover the stitched wound sustained against Southampton, came tantalisingly close to opening the scoring for Birmingham. A trademark Costly “drag-back” down in the left-hand corner was followed by a solid low drive into the area which Carsley slid in to meet but failed to direct into the net.

The ball was in the net for the visitors in the 32nd minute. Larsson’s corner found Johnson whose low shot bobbled through to Cameron Jerome, who turned the effort home. However, there was a raised flag on the far side.

The Barnsley faithful vociferously appealed for a penalty in the 54th minute after Macken stole a march on his marker and found space to cross for Campbell-Ryce. Judging from the lively winger’s reaction, he felt he had been impeded by Larsson as he went to pull the trigger in front of goal. In all truth, a penalty would have been harsh on Birmingham.

The introduction of Scott Sinclair for Johnson just after the hour mark allowed Birmingham to up the ante.

However, the match burst into life in the final eight minutes of normal times. After both sides had added to the scoresheet, Birmingham had to deal with a late push from Barnsley. Carlsey hurriedly cleared Campbell-Ryce’s cross from the six-yard box after Larsson had wastefully given away possession before Barnsley substitute Mounir el Haimour hammered a volley centimetres over deep into injury time.

Scorers: Mifsud (82) 1-0, Martin Taylor (85) 1-1.

Barnsley (4-1-3-1-1): Muller, Van Homoet (El Haimour, 83), Moore, Souza, Kozluk, Colace, Bogdanovic, Hassell, Campbell-Ryce, Macken (Hammill, 77), Mifsud. Substitutes: Steele, Devaney, Rigters.
Birmingham City (4-4-2): Maik Taylor, Carr, Martin Taylor, Radhi Jaidi, Queudrue, Larsson, Carsley, Johnson (Sinclair, 62), Fahey, Costly (Bouazza, 74), Jerome. Substitutes: Doyle, O’Connor, De la Cruz.

Referee:.Graham Horwood (Bedfordshire).

Bookings: Burnley – Hassell (foul); Birmingham – Carr, Johnson ( both fouls).

Attendance: 11,299