Birmingham City ended 2024 as they ended 2023 – with a bore 0-0 draw at St Andrew’s – but they are top of League One going into the New Year.
Blackpool had the better chances in a game where Blues didn’t threaten the goal until the closing stages. Blues remain top of League One after Wycombe’s defeat at Charlton earlier in the day.
Blackpool’s top scorer Kyle Joseph had the first chance of the afternoon after drifting in behind Blues’ defence to collect a pass. A combination of Ryan Allsop and Lee Buchanan thwarted Joseph but it came at a cost for Blues.
Buchanan stayed down inside the six-yard box with what appeared to be a knee injury and required lengthy treatment before leaving the field on a stretcher. The defender has only recently returned from five months out injured and could now be set for another spell on the sidelines.
The game quickly became an end-to-end contest with both teams landing punches. Emil Hansson combined superbly with Paik Seung-ho before arrowing a shot towards the bottom corner from 20 yards that was superbly saved by Blackpool stopper Harry Tryer.
Ryan Allsop topped Tyrer’s save within 60 seconds to deny Ashley Fletcher. Fletcher won a tussle with Krystian Bielik to reach a long ball but his powerful strike was tipped over by Allsop
Chris Davies was forced into a second change shortly before half-time after Hansson went down off the ball. Luke Harris got the call instead of Jay Stansfield and Ayumu Yokoyama.
Stansfield only had to wait until half-time. Davies introduced Blues’ top scorer in place of the ineffective Lyndon Dykes.
Marc Leonard and Ben Davies weren’t far behind as Chris Davies used all five of his substitutes before the 58th minute. Another chance for Joseph which resulted in the Blackpool striker hitting the foot of the post prompted the decisive move for the Blues manager.
Blues needed another 30 minutes to open Blackpool up. Stansfield was found by Willum Willumsson’s pull-back and his deflected shot was heading in before a recovering Blackpool defender cleared off the goal-line.
There was still time for one more chance for Willumsson. Paik’s cross from the left found the 6ft 4in Icelandic at the far post but his header was weak and off target
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