Honours Even

Another batteling I'm getting bored of saying that now) display by Blues saw them pick up a vital away point in the relegation battle today, and with the teams below us losing it proved at full time to be an even better point.

With Blues unchanged from their brilliant win last week at home to Bolton at travelling fans came out in force today in full voice, however it was the home side that started the brightest, with Junior Hoilett showing signs of what was to come with a run down the wing which eventually came to no avail. Blues picked up though, and the partnership of Jerome and Phillips looked to be working well; Jerome especially working well and winning countless aerial challenges against the strong back four of Blackburn.

And it was the away side who drew first blood with a goal after just over half an hour of play. Jerome received the ball from Larsson and put in a brilliant ball into the box which was tapped in with ease by Lee Bowyer to set the travelling fans tucked away in the upper tier into complete frenzy, and further silence to very quiet home support.


Blues continued to put Blackburn under pressure and with 45 minutes gone won a freekick. Larsson curled the ball expertly; Robinson in the Blacburn goal didn't even move... and the ball hit the woodwork! Had that gone in it may have been game over, or at least a very comfortable lead going into half time. But just a coyuple of minutes later at the pther end of the pitch Roger Johnson was left knocked out on the deck after a Blackburn attack. After a fw minutes of treatement he was bak on his feet, but a Ridgewell mistake meant Hoilett was through on goal and rounded Foster to rqualise for the home side. All the hard work by Blues had been undone by one defensive mishap.


Althoughnthe first half had been entertaining, the second half wa s areal relegation scrap. neither team wanted to go too far forward in fear of conceding and when either team ventured into the opposition half they lost the ball. It was end to end, scrappy, and by the end of the match half the players had been on the floor injured.

Johnson's concussion from his knock in the first half proved too much for him to carry on, and Davies had to come on in place of him. It's a given now that whenever Davies comes on we all look at each other as if our fate has been decided. But credit to him as today, even with a clear injury, he had a solid game at the back alongside Ridgewell.

Overall, the draw was the right result and like I mentioned at the start, it was even better considering the results of those around us. Win next week and we'll be one step closer to Premier League survival and one step further away from the relegation trap door. I believe there are more than three teams in this league who are worse than us: we will be fine... and hopefully come the end of the season I won't be made to regret what I just said!

Full Time: Blackburn 1-1 Birmingham City