Birmingham boss Chris Davies says Northampton draw ‘difficult to take’

Posted Sunday, November 10, 2024 by PA

Chris Davies gave a bleak assessment of his Birmingham side’s 1-1 Sky Bet League One draw against Northampton at St Andrew’s.

The Blues dominated from the first to the last minute, but their poor finishing saw the Cobblers keep their belief until the end.

Jay Stansfield eventually opened the scoring for the Blues in the 58th minute, but a 97th-minute strike from Mitchell Pinnock saw Jon Brady’s side earn a valuable point in their battle at the bottom of the table.

Birmingham boss Davies said: “It was really difficult to take, the loss of the points, it feels like a loss. I thought we played a good game in general.

“We had pretty much everything that I wanted to see, but we couldn’t get the second goal. We hit the post, balls were flashing across the box and their goalkeeper was making saves.

“And to concede the goal that we did in the last second of the game when you then have no time to actually respond yourself, it is as difficult to take as it comes.”

Captain Krystian Bielik was substituted in the 88th minute, and Davies said: “He’s obviously been injured for quite a while.

“He was cramped up and couldn’t continue, so he wanted to come off. So we brought him off and Dion [Sanderson] came on for the last few minutes, but unfortunately we conceded the goal.

“[We did not create] as much as I’d have liked to, but [we created] enough to win that game, absolutely.”

Northampton boss Brady said: “Even if it was 1-0 that we lost in the end I would have come in and been immensely proud of their efforts.

“But, with five minutes to go, I just asked Neo [Dobson] and [Martyn] Waghorn to stay further forward and have a gamble.

“For Mitchell to get that winner in the end was quite pleasing. Overall they dominated possession but we came to disrupt, we came to spoil – we did that brilliantly.

“I can’t really remember any clear-cut chances or shots on target they had in the first half.”

Brady reserved special praise for Pinnock, saying: “Over the years the value we’ve got from Mitchell has been incredible I feel, and he can play anywhere, he’s a good footballer.

“But the one thing he does do is give you every single thing he’s got, what a great moment it was for him and the team and everybody back home.”