Birmingham City 0 - 0 Coventry City

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Birmingham City 0 - 0 Coventry City

Postby dutchman » Sat Sep 17, 2022 5:25 pm

Shoot on sight policy as Hamer sees red in derby stalemate

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Coventry City had to settle for a point in a highly competitive Midlands derby at St Andrew’s that ended on a sour note when Gus Hamer was sent off at the death.

The Sky Blues midfielder went to ground with Hannibal Megbri in the 89th minute with the pair tangling on the floor with flailing feet that the referee appeared to interpret as a deliberate boot to the face.

It was a disappointing end after City had started really brightly, taking the game to Blues but it was the home side who carved out the first chance when Tahith Chong found space down the left and pulled the ball back into the box perfectly for Juninho Bacuna who hit a dreadful shot over the bar when he should really have scored.

Jamie Allen was then denied by a good save from the goalkeeper John Ruddy at the other end after good work from Fankaty Dabo allowed him space to shoot hard and low. Gus Hamer then tried his luck from a good 25 yards with the playmaker testing the keeper with three more efforts in the opening 22 minutes as he adopted a shoot on sight policy.

Krystian Bielik tested his own keeper in the 37th minute when a Gyokeres cross deflected off the midfielder while Jonathan Panzo got a good head to a corner that was blocked by Auston Trusty in an impressive first 45 when Coventry enjoyed 59 percent of possession and hit an impressive 12 shots, albeit only three on target, compared to Birmingham’s four, including only one on target.

Blues came out with a lot more purpose after the break and almost took the lead when Scott Hogan got on the end of a deep Bacuna cross with Ben Wilson dropping down and making a good save on the line. But the second half quickly deteriorated into a scrappy and feisty affair with both sides lacking attacking nous and cancelling each other out.

Kasey Palmer and Tyler Walker added fresh legs as Mark Robins attempted to pep things up for the last 13-odd minutes when the visitors started to come back into the game a bit more, Gyokeres cutting across the goal and hitting high and wide amid some determined build-up play in the final third as they went in search of a winner.

But Hamer was sent off, seemingly harshly, after tangle on the floor, ahead of a frantic four minutes of added time when City hung on for grim death - Ben Wilson the hero when he denied Trusty at the far post with seconds left on the clock.

ATTENDANCE: 16,633 (2,242 away).

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Re: Birmingham City 0 - 0 Coventry City

Postby dutchman » Sat Sep 17, 2022 5:37 pm

Blues and Coventry play out scoreless draw

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Birmingham City played out an entertaining scoreless draw with bottom-of-the-table Coventry City, who had Gustavo Hamer sent off late on for kicking out at substitute Hannibal Mejbri.

Hamer was the star performer as the visitors dominated the first half, going close on four separate occasions.

But the midfielder saw red for his petulant reaction following an 89th-minute tussle with on-loan Manchester United midfielder Mejbri.

Blues improved after the interval but struggled to create many chances, Scott Hogan going closest with a header, while Coventry's search for a first win of the season continues.

Before kick off, emotional scenes saw supporters from both sides sing the national anthem following a minute's silence in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II.

The Sky Blues, who have not in 11 games since their 4-2 victory at Birmingham in April, then dominated a thrilling first half, impressing more than 2,200 noisy travelling fans as they created plenty of chances through some slick passing and clever movement.

Hamer was the main goal threat, the midfielder twice testing keeper John Ruddy with long-range strikes and also shooting narrowly off target with two other efforts. Jonathan Panzo glanced a header wide and had another header blocked from a corner, while Jamie Allen was also denied by Ruddy.

The hosts were unable to match the heights of their midweek derby victory over West Brom, but should have been ahead early on, only for Juninho Bacuna to shoot over the bar from six yards when it looked easier to score.

Blues, chasing a third consecutive win, upped their game after the interval. Josh Williams went close before keeper Ben Wilson had to make a superb save to prevent Hogan grabbing his sixth goal of the season from close range.

But both sides struggled to create much in the latter stages as the game became increasingly disjointed and fractious, with Hamer seeing red for the second time this season in the closing moments. He has now been sent off three times for the Sky Blues and booked a total of 15 times, with his latest misdemeanour meaning he now faces a four-match ban.

Blues pressed for a winner, which almost came when Auston Trusty's volley was blocked by Wilson on the line in stoppage time.

Coventry remain at the foot of the table and winless in their past nine league games played on a Saturday, but still have at least two matches in hand on all the teams above them, having had three Championship games postponed because the pitch at the Coventry Building Society Arena was deemed too dangerous.

Coventry manager Mark Robins on Hamer's red card: "It's absolutely ridiculous. We need everybody fit and available and then that happens. He's got to learn.

"I didn't see it at the time. I've seen it subsequently and it looked like to me like Mejbri grabbed hold of his legs and rolled and you can't really see what happened.

"But the eagle-eyed officials saw fit to send him off for violent conduct so he misses four games. It gives the referee - or somebody - a picture, and if they then feel that's not right, you run the risk, don't you?

"It was a brilliant first half from us and really we should have been three goals up without any real reply from them."

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Re: Birmingham City 0 - 0 Coventry City

Postby dutchman » Sat Sep 17, 2022 7:12 pm

"But the eagle-eyed officials saw fit to send him off"

Me detects a trace of sarcasm there? :roll:
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