George Hirst’s 95th-minute penalty claimed an unlikely 1-1 draw for Championship favourites Town in their opening game of the season at Birmingham City. The newly promoted home side looked set for all three points courtesy of Jay Stansfield’s goal on 55 until sub Lyndon Dykes handled in the area and Hirst confidently found the net to grab a share of the point.

Chieo Ogbene was handed his first start since October last year and Leif Davis was fit to start at left-back following his hip problem, but Omari Hutchinson, Jaden Philogene and new signing Jens Cajuste were all absent from the squad.

Ogbene, who ruptured achilles ligaments in last season’s away game at Brentford, started on the right of the three behind striker George Hirst with Jack Clarke on the left and Sammie Szmodics in the middle.

Azor Matusiwa made his Town debut in midfield alongside Jack Taylor ahead of a back four of, from the right, Ben Johnson, playing his first league game outside the Premier League, new skipper Dara O’Shea, Jacob Greaves and Davis. Alex Palmer was in goal.

Philogene was absent having picked up an ankle injury at Auxerre last week, while Hutchinson, the subject of transfer speculation, missed out with a throat infection.

New signings Ashley Young and Cedric Kipre were on the bench, as was Nathan Broadhead, a Wrexham target, and young midfielder Fin Barbrook, in a matchday squad for a competitive game for the first time.

The home crowd, still ebullient from last year’s record-breaking 111-point League One title, made plenty of noise before kick-off and as the game got under way.

And with that backing firmly behind them, Birmingham saw virtually all of the ball in the early stages but without threatening.

A Town free-kick from the right was sent in by Taylor but came to nothing, Clarke harshly adjudged to have fouled a defender beyond the back post.

In the seventh minute, sections of the home crowd were on their feet cheering after Kyogo Furuhashi looped the ball over Palmer and into the net but referee Andrew Kitchen had already blown up as the Japanese international had jumped into Greaves in order to win the ball, catching him with an arm.

On 22, Kyogo, a persistent niggling presence for the Town centre-halves, was found on the left of the box, but scraped his shot into the side-netting.

Four minutes later, with the game having become a scruffy affair with plenty of fouls, mostly from Town, Taylor and Birmingham debutant Bright Osayi-Samuel were both booked for a minor dust-up on the touchline following a challenge.

Moments later, good work from Hirst led to a Szmodics break towards the area but another Birmingham debutant, Phil Neumann, got across to put it out for Town’s first corner of the match.

Szmodics had made a good start but the former Blackburn man missed a very good chance to put the Blues in front in the 25th minute. Birmingham skipper Christop Klarer passed back to keeper Ryan Allsop, who played it straight to Szmodics just outside the area but the Ireland international shot wide of the target.

Just after the half hour, some sharp Birmingham passing ended with Tomoki Iwata playing a ball forward into the area to one-time Town target Stansfield, but the England U21 international blazed well over having had time to set himself.

Moments later, Town had their second clear opening of the evening. A long O’Shea pass played in Davis on the left, the full-back broke into the box in front of his man but hit his shot with the inside of his left boot rather than the outside and sent it across goal rather than over Allsop and into the net.

On 40, Keshi Anderson scuffed a shot through to Palmer after Town had lost the ball playing out from the left, then moments later they surrendered it again, Stansfield scraping a shot from the edge wide when the striker should have done much better.

In the 43rd minute Matusiwa, who was struggling with the pace of the game, lost possession a few yards inside the Birmingham half, then pulled back Anderson and was yellow-carded. Demarai Gray, making his second debut for the club, shot straight at Palmer from 30 yards.

In the second minute of two added on, Johnson crossed from the right and Taylor flicked a header across goal and wide. A decent chance, if not as good as the earlier ones for Szmodics and Davis.

That was the last action of a half which the home side had dominated in the early stages without seriously threatening, aside from Kyogo’s disallowed goal.

The period became scrappier as it reached its midway point, before the Blues began to find their feet more but without ever really taking control.

Despite that, Town will feel they had the better chances with Szmodics and Davis spurning opportunities they ought to have taken, while Stansfield was similarly profligate.

Three minutes after the restart, hesitant defending from the Blues allowed Iwata a shot at goal from the edge of the area which the Japanese international sent well over.

A minute later, a cross from the right was headed out by Greaves and Seung-Ho Paik struck a low effort wide of Palmer’s right post.

On 53, Johnson gave the ball away just outside the Town area, not for the first time, and the ball was threaded through for Kyogo, whose clever turn was read by Greaves, who cleared the danger.

However, two minutes later, the home side went in front. Greaves played back to Palmer, whose high ball to halfway was nodded back forward by Osayi-Samuel. Kyogo just stayed onside and got behind the Blues’ backline and looped over Palmer, the ball struck the far post but fell to Stansfield, who lashed into the roof of the net.

It was a very poor goal from a Town perspective and the Blues set about getting back on terms, a defender getting in front of Davis as he sought to get onto the ball in a promising position on the left of the box, then Hirst and Szmodics exchanging passes into the area before a Birmingham toe intervened.

In the 63rd minute, Szmodics stooped to loop a Davis corner from the right over the bar at the near post.

After Clarke had had the ball stabbed out of play on the left of the box, only for the referee to award a goal-kick, the Blues made their first changes of the evening in the 68th minute.

Johnson, Ogbene and Szmodics made way for Young, making his Town debut and becoming the oldest man to play for the Blues since Phil Parkes’s final match against Brighton in May 1991, Conor Chaplin and Broadhead, Clarke moving to the right so the Welshman could play on the left.

Paik was booked for a foul on Matusiwa with the game going through another scruffy spell with the already yellow-carded Taylor committing another foul but with referee Kitchen not showing an interest in issuing another.

On 76, Kyogo made way for Tommy Doyle, then three minutes later, Ali Al-Hamadi replaced Clarke for Town.

Birmingham swapped Stansfield, who looked to have picked up a knock, and Gray for Lyndon Dykes and Ethan Laird before the Blues replaced Matusiwa, who will have learned a lot from his first Championship game, for Cameron Humphreys.

In the 85th minute, Al-Hamadi laid back to Young on the right, the right-back - booed every time he touched the ball by the home fans for his Villa connections - crossed deep for Hirst, but the striker was unable to keep his header down.

As the game moved into its penultimate minute, Taylor Gardner-Hickman replaced Anderson.

Town hadn’t looked like getting back into the game in any way, shape or form, but in the fourth minute of injury time they were handed a lifeline.

Young sent over a deep corner from the left, Greaves won it at the far post and his header caught the raised arm of Dykes. Referee Kitchen pointed straight to the spot much to the consternation of the home players and fans.

Hirst took the kick and hit it straight down the middle with Allsop diving to his right before celebrating in front of the home support.

Chaplin kicked the ball into the fans behind the goal, much to the anger of the Birmingham players who remonstrated with the Town goalscorer with most of the outfielders joining in.

Taylor was grabbed by a fan, who appeared to get him in a headlock, before order was restored. Chaplin was booked but several others from both teams probably should have joined him, while the supporter is likely to face action.

Birmingham’s players seemed to lose their heads after the goal and its aftermath, Hirst hauled to the ground at one end, before a couple of needless fouls.

Town were the ones pushing for a winner at the end, winning a corner on the right, but Greaves was unable to nod back across goal and create a likely winner.

For much of the second half, it looked like being a disappointing start to the season for the Blues, who had weathered the early Birmingham storm without too much concern before getting more of a foothold as the first half wore on and had chances to go in front.

However, once they’d conceded what was a very poor goal, hardly the first time there had been hesitancy and disorganisation in the backline, they showed very few signs of getting back into the match, even after the substitutions, so often a game-changer for the Blues in the Championship two seasons ago.

While the penalty was a penalty by the letter of the law as it stands, Dykes having both his arms in the air as the corner came over, it was nevertheless a huge slice of fortune with no Town player appealing.

The match was a stark contrast to the Premier League fixtures the Blues got used to last season with the ball given away all too easily, by both teams, and the type of chances snapped up in the top flight squandered.

Given the narrative of the game and the Blues’ understrength and makeshift XI, Kieran McKenna will no doubt be delighted to have got the campaign under way by picking up an away point.

Birmingham City: Allsop, Osayi-Samuel, Neumann, Klarer (c), Cochrane, Tomoki, Paik, Gray (Laird 83), Stansfield (Dykes 83), Anderson (Gardner-Hickman 89), Kyogo (Doyle 76). Unused: Beadle, Bielik, Leonard, Willumsson, Cashin.

Town: Palmer; Johnson (Young 68), O’Shea (c), Greaves, Davis, Matusiwa (Humphreys 85), Taylor, Ogbene (Broadhead 68), Szmodics (Chaplin 68), Clarke (Al-Hamadi 79), Hirst. Unused: Walton, Kipre, Woolfenden, Humphreys, Barbrook. Referee: Andrew Kitchen (Durham). Att: 27,508.

Photo: Action Images via Reuters

shakytown added 01:26 - Aug 9 Think there were a few players believing the press. Favs for promotion etc. Cannot see what Johnson is even at the club for as he is just useless every time he plays. Still a point when not deserved so we move on and hopefully forward. long tough season ahead and nothing decided first week.
1

BeattiesBackPocket added 03:54 - Aug 9 I said I’d have taken 4 points from first two games. Remember how on top first 65 minutes we were against Liverpool at home last season being the newly promoted side against the league favourites. They didn’t have a shot on target till their goal and we had two free headers against them and should’ve been ahead. Forward a few months they were champions as we got relegated. First couple of games are never pretty. Granted we need to improve but Cajuste, Jaden and for me kipre on the right may make a big difference.

-3

delias_cheesy_flaps added 04:45 - Aug 9 Ashley Young was our best player.
3

ivandeighton added 07:06 - Aug 9 On that performance mid table at best
5

Phil1969 added 07:07 - Aug 9 Yes we were lucky but Hirst summed it up it was a bit like our first Prem game against the Champions Liverpool (well first half anyway) crowd and team hyped full of confidence and aggression. We are missing a few plus additions if that’s all Birmingham have then nothing to worry about. We need time to get used to the intensity of the Championship that’s all. Sign of a decent side play badly and still get something.

1

Chrisd added 07:10 - Aug 9 Would’ve taken the point if offered before the game, but the way we played over the 90mins was woeful. Lots of our players that started have played together for a while, but they played like a team of strangers and created nothing. KM has got plenty of work to do for me, we still look a couple of players short to be considered serious contenders.
6

tractorboybig added 07:10 - Aug 9 a game best forgotten, surely we cant play worse than that?
4

Widj123 added 07:15 - Aug 9 Absolute rubbish div 1 here we come Johnson useless as normal looked better with Young Ogbene another awful signing did nothing at all , Matusiwa awful completely useless and as for Clarke didn’t know he was playing . The signings last season and this are terrible Ashton and McKenna should leave now and give us a chance of staying in the championship
-4

blues1 added 07:33 - Aug 9 Chepstowblue. My god, typical town fan. No, untilctgey scored we were were poor. But much of that was down to how Birmingham played. Stopped us playing our usual game. Yer, let's slag off Matusawi, whos was playing his 1stxgame in england So needs to adjustcgo the pace of the game. Which, in 2nd half he actually did. After they scored, we finally managed to get on the ball, and were marginally the better side for the rest of the game. And he improved along with the rest of the team. Again ur slagging off Ogbene. That's his 1st game for 9 months. And you seem to have, in ur so called assessment of players, totally ignored the fact that Greaves had an excellent game. But guess that doesnt meet ur criteria for slagging players off constantly. Of course it wasntxa great performance, but did anyone really expect itcto began easy game? Clearly many on here did. This was probably the hardest match we could have got for the 1st game. And so it proved. Once matusiwa has settled un, andn likely with Cajuste beside him, the midfieldcwill settle down, not that Taylor did much wrong last night. The one thing thqt was clear last night, was with a few injuries and 2 or 3 more signings probably needed, thd bench isn't as strong as it was been the last few seasons. The typical overreaction from many on here tho. End of the day, as happens regularly, we found away to get something out of the game, despite not playing well. Before anyone says but thsts inly bcse we got a dodgy penalty? No, while in dont like those kind of penalties being given, by the laws of the game, it was a penalty. Probably the only thing the ref got right all game. And it makes a change for us to get decisions go our way.

2

bluesissy added 07:47 - Aug 9 God we missed morsy....Jack taylor just isn't good enough and I fear Jens cajuste will be micro managed by km meaning I will be surprised if he starts more than half of our league games. It's going to be a tough season and no victory parade.
1

Keanos_Barmy added 07:58 - Aug 9 I doubt it will be popular on here, but I genuinely believe that we should make a move for Flynn Downes
6

oldelsworthyfan added 08:24 - Aug 9 I'm happy that our 'A' team came away from Birmingham's hostile crowd with a point having not played well. Clever penalty taken by Hirst who took it calmly. I liked Young's performance. I hope we hang on to Omari (for our sake, and for his) and he doesn't turn out like Flynn Downes did.
-2

Cakeman added 08:25 - Aug 9 Well done lads and particular praise to George who calmly slotted home in a very hostile environment.
0

dirtydingusmagee added 08:54 - Aug 9 Well after all the adrenalin rush of new season,that was awful.Only managed to listen to match but really poor.But first matches can often be like that. Count ourselves fortunate to have got a point and move on .It was strange listening to game found it difficult at times with the new names ,wasn't always sure which team was which, Will get used to them in due course but felt strange.HOPE the home match next weekend is better affair. COYB

1

BobbyBell added 09:10 - Aug 9 Think back. We didn't even win league 1 but we came up and matched the teams relegated from the Prem. Why is this any different. Birmingham won the league and set records so they are buzzing. We just got relegated and currently lack confidence, Just give it time. This is a good away point.
1

Linkboy13 added 09:16 - Aug 9 Not a great performance didn't think either side looked promotion quality. Sam Morsy was our best signing over the last four years and gave his all for the club and was taken for granted. Matusiwa looked way off the pace but needs to be given time before any judgements are made. For me Jack Taylor is not a central midfielder and not capable of dominating a game. Teams that get relegated from the Premier league notoriously struggle early on it's what i call the hangover effect. I think next Saturday's game against Southampton will be tough. We need to get more energy into the midfield. He's not my favourite person but i would try and get Flynn Downes if the price is right. It's early days so im not panicking.

2

FransFan added 09:17 - Aug 9 Awful performance . Matuwisa no replacement for SM on that showing. Having said that, I recall Arnie’s first game for Town and he was anonymous….Reinforcements urgently required.
0

Carberry added 09:22 - Aug 9 ' ...understrength and makeshift XI', says the report, why and how has that come to pass? The continuing saga of players injured, not able to do transfer business in time, reflects very poorly on the management of the club. This is a crucial season and we've put in one of the worst opening day performances for a very long time. Doesn't bode well does it? And where are all the quality Championship signings we made last season to take us straight back to the Prem? They've left or leaving so we will have to make do with Taylor, Clarke, Johnson, Szmodics and the rest. Good luck Kieran.

2

IvorFeeling added 09:40 - Aug 9 Given the turnover of players, ones still to go and some still to come in this lineup will not be the one in 6-8 weeks time. It’s going to take until late Sept imo to get really motoring. It’s not how you start it’s how you finish. Two big pluses from the game are we stole a point, which good teams find a way even when they are poor and given the timing and what happened it must have really pi88ed off Goodman.

2

SickParrot added 09:41 - Aug 9 I would've taken a point before the game so a satisfactory result but very lucky to get a point we didn't deserve. Never a penalty and that was our only shot on target. We couldn't keep the ball until Birmingham scored. We did manage to put a few passes together then but never looked like creating a goal scoring opportunity. I couldn't fault the work rate and we kept going to the end but we had no quality on the ball at all. The only players who can be satisfied with their performance are O'Shea and Grieves whose defending kept us in the game, Hirst who had no service or support and Young who looked composed and comfortable on the ball (unlike his team mates). Ogbone and Johnson looked dazed and confused but the former can be forgiven because if his long absence. Matusawi looked like an older and less skilled version of Morsy but will hopefully improve as he adjusts to the demands of the Championship. The rest were all poor but none more so than Jack Clarke. What has happened to him? Ashley Young must be at right back for the Southampton game and we need Cajuste, Philogene and Hutchinson to play aswell.

1

41826 added 09:49 - Aug 9 The Americans spent a great deal of money last season and not all was spent wisely so Supporters must accept they are going to be more careful splashing the cash this time. One signing that must be made urgently however is a replacement for Morsy who was the main reason for Town getting out of the Championship last time, all teams need a player of this type to be successful. John F.

4

ChrisFelix added 09:56 - Aug 9 Never judge a season or a player by the first game. Remember Davies & Walton debuts. Leif was subbed at half time & Walton let in 5. A draw at St Andrews is a good result. But what last night's lack luster shows, how olportabt Hutchinson is to our trzm
0

ldnj added 11:20 - Aug 9 I hope Humphries gets to play in the week and plays well. Interesting to see what happens then. Unfortunately, as he's gone grown and not brought in on a big salary, I think he's less likely to be played despite having just played a whole season to plaudits. I hope I'm wrong and also that he gets confidence grin last season.
3

gosblue added 11:41 - Aug 9 Get used to the standard of referees in the championship. They're not bent just crap. Clarke was great in pre-season but he was back to his headless chicken impersonations. Taylor gave the ball away at least four times in dangerous areas. O'shea needs to boss the back-line. Him and Greaves will be a good set up but it looked all over the place. Brum aren't good at playing out from the back but we never even looked liked trying to exploit that. Many of our lads are too lightweight for this division and our back four is too slow. Better teams than Birmingham will exploit that. It was just great to spoil the BBC/Sky brummie love fest. BTW, VAR would definitely have awarded that penalty. You have no right to have your hands in that position. What were they doing there? We move on. Looking forward to seeing the kids on Tuesaday. COYB

0

blueboy1981 added 11:43 - Aug 9 The pressure is on Ashton and McKenna this season to produce - the Club Owners will be anxious over results and decisions made that’s for sure. Some have been questionable to say the least.
1

Blogs 297 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls