Birmingham get back to winning ways with comfortable victory over Huddersfield

Posted Wednesday, October 04, 2023 by PA

Birmingham put a terrible September behind them by starting October with a commanding 4-1 victory over Huddersfield.

After a positive start to the season, John Eustace’s men collected just two of 15 points last month, scoring only two goals and losing three times.

However, they were never in danger against the Terriers and produced a convincing display thanks to a double from Siriki Dembele and further goals from Koji Miyoshi and Jordan James.

Blues offered a statement of intent after just 30 seconds when Krystian Bielik swung a 20-yard shot wide of the upright.

The hosts did not have to wait long for a breakthrough and it was handed to them by Huddersfield goalkeeper Lee Nicholls.

The impressive Ivan Sunjic rolled a third-minute pass into Dembele’s feet and the winger moved infield and sent a well-struck drive straight at Nicholls, who could only parry the ball into the corner of his net.

Blues goalkeeper John Ruddy did better with a dipping long-ranger from Delano Burgzorg three minutes later, which he tipped over the crossbar.

The hosts’ lead was doubled in the 23rd minute. Dembele escaped Ben Jackson down the left and his low cross reached Cody Drameh on the opposite side.

The Leeds loanee curled an inviting pass to the back post where Miyoshi slid in and directed the ball into the roof of the net.

Town’s Ben Wiles tested Ruddy from just outside the area shortly afterwards, but Juninho Bacuna should have made it 3-0 on the half-hour but could only lift Jay Stansfield’s right-wing centre into Nicholls’ grateful arms.

Huddersfield boss Darren Moore made three changes at the break and urged his team to press further up the pitch and to an extent it worked, with the home team’s attacks more limited.

They did, however, start to open up the visitors as the second period wore on and just before the hour Manny Longelo released Dembele down the left and he worked his way into the penalty area to find Miyoshi, whose low shot was hacked away to safety by Tom Lees.

The third goal came in the 64th minute when Bacuna instigated an attack with a cutting pass that put Miyoshi running at the last defender. The Japan international squared for Dembele as he steamed up in support and curled a first-time shot low to Nicholls’ left.

The Terriers responded well as Tom Edwards hooked over from close range, Jack Rodoni’s drive was deflected wide and Josh Koroma just failed to add a meaningful touch to Matty Pearson’s knock-down.

Michal Helik grabbed a consolation two minutes into added time when he rammed home Sorba Thomas’s left-wing cross from close in.

Birmingham would have the last word, though, when James lashed in a piledriver from 25 yards in the fifth minute of stoppage time to restore the three-goal advantage.