Northampton Town 1-1 Birmingham City: Kevin Nolan thrilled to hold up Blues

By Graham Allen

NORTHAMPTON T 1

Iwata 17 og

BIRMINGHAM C 1

Anderson 45+2

Northampton Town boss Kevin Nolan was “absolutely delighted” with his players after they held runaway League One leaders Birmingham City to a draw.

Nolan’s side were outstanding in the first half at Sixfields and thoroughly deserved to take the lead thanks to Tomoki Iwata’s own-goal after 17 minutes.

Keshi Anderson headed the Blues level in first-half stoppage time with only their second shot of the game.

However, despite dominating the game, City could not find a winner.

Delighted

Nolan said: “I’m absolutely delighted and I’ve just said to the players that I’m really pleased for them because they deserve that for the work they put in and the shift they put in.

“They took on all the information we gave them and we always knew this would be a very tough test against top of the league.

“Birmingham have really good players and a really good structure and Davo (Chris Davies) has done a fantastic job with them, but I thought we more than matched them and it was a great effort.

“We knew we would have to suffer at times without the ball but the lads were terrific and I thought we deserved a point.

“It was a little bit of a sucker-punch to concede right on half-time because it was their first shot on target but that’s what happens against good teams with quality players.

“It was unfortunate because who knows what we could have done in the second half but I can’t fault the lads.

“I’m really happy with them.”

HAVE A GO: Birmingham’s Alfie May shoots and, left, Paik Seung-ho battles with Town’s Ben Perry PICTURES: Alamy

Match action

The table was flipped on its head in the first half as Northampton dominated and carried most of the attacking threat, racking up ten shots to Birmingham’s two.

Dara Costelloe, Sam Hoskins and Cameron McGeehan were all close early on before Costelloe’s aggressive pressing forced Iwata to divert into his own net as Birmingham made a mess of playing out from the back.

McGeehan headed another chance over but the visitors crucially hauled themselves level in first-half stoppage-time when, almost out of nothing, Anderson headed in Cristoph Klara’s cross.

PUMPED: Keshi Anderson, left, celebrates with Jay Stansfield

Second half

Birmingham were much improved in the second half and Jay Stansfield poked a good chance wide before an unmarked Willum Willumsson headed off target.

The visitors applied plenty of late pressure but Northampton defended stoutly and stood firm to claim an important point in their battle to avoid relegation.

Birmingham are now 12 points clear at the top and remain well on course for an immediate return to the Championship.

However, Blues boss Chris Davies admitted: “We started the game too slowly.

“I had the chance to address that in one of the water breaks and from that moment on we seemed to come alive a little bit.

“We were too passive and too slow but we got the goal and I thought we were very good in the second half.

“We’ve played worse and won games this season.

“I take responsibility for the goal we conceded because that’s the way we play and the way I want them to play and that was an unfortunate moment, but we’ve done it successfully this season and these things happen.”

“We were too passive and too slow but we got the goal and I thought we were very good in the second half.

“We’ve played worse and won games this season.

“I take responsibility for the goal we conceded because that’s the way we play and the way I want them to play and that was an unfortunate moment, but we’ve done it successfully this season and these things happen.”

Star Man – Christoph Klarer (Birmingham City)

Teams and ratings:

Northampton Town: Burge 6, Odimayo 6 (Eyoma 70, 6), Magloire 7, Dyche 7, Pinnock 7, Perry 7 (Hondermarck 77, 7), Taylor 7, McGowan 7 (Koiki 85), Hoskins 7, Costelloe 7, McGeehan 6. Subs not used: Tzanev, Willis, Wilson, Fosu.

Birmingham City: Allsop 6, Sampsted 7 (Bielik 86), Klarer 8, Davies 8, Cochrane 7, Iwata 6, Paik 7, Dowell 7, Willumsson 7 (Jutkiewicz 82, 6), Anderson 7 (Hansson 62, 6), Stansfield 6 (May 82, 6). Subs not used: Peacock-Farrell, Hanley, Leonard.