Birmingham manager Chris Davies praised his side for overcoming the expected stern challenge provided by Reading to earn a point in their 0-0 League One draw at the SCL Stadium.
After a patchy first half, the game came to life in the second period with each side creating chances to break the deadlock.
Reading threatened with good efforts from Lewis Wing, Jayden Wareham and Chem Campbell.
But league leaders Birmingham also went close, particularly when Lyndon Dykes saw his effort blocked on the goalline by home defender Amadou Mbengue.
“Reading are very strong at home,” Davies said. “I think they’ve got the third best home record in the league.
“So, for us, it was always going to be a test today and I think that we did well to ensure that we got a point.
“That clearance off the line, that was the big chance of the match. So if anyone deserved to win, it was probably us.
“Lyndon got himself into a good position in the box. Either side of Mbengue and the ball nestles in the corner.
“But you have to say that it was a good goalline clearance as well.
“Sometimes these things happen and it’s all about how you respond. You have to get straight back at it.
“I thought that we were the better team in general play, even though at times it was very scrappy.
“The pitch was a bit bouncy and neither side could get any real fluidity with their passing moves.
“But we can’t blame the pitch. There was more to it than just that. We had some good spells and then spells where we couldn’t quite get the control that we wanted.”
Play-off hopefuls Reading are now unbeaten in five matches.
“I felt that we probably had the better opportunities in the game apart from the odd mistake by us,” Reading manager Noel Hunt said. “One of which we had to clear off the line.
“But in terms of open play, I thought that we had two or three really good chances.
“Birmingham are a good side and they’ve got a good manager. They’ve got bags of quality all over the pitch.
“They’ve done so well to be where they are and rightly so.
“But our boys, I thought that they were immense. We pressured Birmingham into playing long, we won the ball back high and we tried not to give them a moment.
“It was about us today in terms of how we went about the game. So I’m very pleased with the performance.
“I wanted us to be aggressive, I wanted us to get in people’s faces, and then we could get the ball down and try to play.
“I thought that it all worked quite well.”
Ange Postecoglou insisted his controversial cupped ear celebration to Tottenham fans in a 1-0 loss at Chelsea had been misinterpreted on another bad night for the Australian.Spurs slipped to a 16th defeat in the Premier League this season thanks to a 50th-minute header by Enzo Fernandez, but it only told half the story of a typically frenzied London derby.VAR was required to rule out a fine strike...
Chelsea climbed back into the Premier League’s top four as Enzo Fernandez’s header early in the second half earned a 1-0 derby win over Tottenham at Stamford Bridge.Enzo Maresca’s side were under pressure after limping into the international break playing football that had ceased to excite home fans, but they largely had the better of a disappointing Spurs team that failed to tak...
David Moyes believes James Tarkowski was lucky to avoid a red card for his reckless challenge on Alexis Mac Allister as Everton were beaten 1-0 by Liverpool on a controversial night at Anfield.Diogo Jota’s 57th-minute goal, which Moyes claimed should have been ruled out for offside, gave Liverpool a 100th derby win and moved them a step closer to the Premier League title, but both sides were...
Jack Grealish dedicated his goal to his late brother after scoring in Manchester City’s 2-0 win over relegation-threatened Leicester on Wednesday.The England international hit his first Premier League goal for 16 months, on his first start in the competition since last December, as City moved back into fourth with a comfortable success at the Etihad Stadium.It came on the 25th anniversary of...
David Moyes bemoaned an “offside” goal that gave Liverpool a 1-0 win over Everton – but admitted James Tarkowski was lucky to avoid an early red card on a controversial night at Anfield.Diogo Jota’s 57th-minute goal gave Liverpool a 100th derby win and moved them a step closer to the Premier League title, but both sides were left unhappy with decisions from referee Sam Barr...
Eddie Howe hailed Sandro Tonali’s shooting power after seeing him cap a fine display with a stunning winner to edge Newcastle into the race for Champions League qualification.The 24-year-old Italy international brought an incident-packed encounter to a fitting conclusion with a 74th-minute piledriver which beat goalkeeper Mark Flekken from an improbable angle to hand the Magpies a precious 2...
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery believes Marcus Rashford is “progressively getting better” in all aspects of his game following his first Premier League goal for the club.The on-loan Manchester United forward set Villa on course for a comprehensive 3-0 win over fellow European hopefuls Brighton with a 51st-minute finish at the Amex Stadium.Rashford’s milestone strike came three days ...
Southampton boss Ivan Juric vowed to keep fighting as relegation moved sharply into focus after Crystal Palace denied them only a third Premier League win of the season.Substitute Matheus Franca’s stoppage-time header, to secure a 1-1 draw for the Eagles, means Saints will be down at the weekend if they lose at Tottenham and Wolves beat Ipswich.If relegation is confirmed on Sunday, Southampt...
Derby boss John Eustace insists his side are reaping the rewards for the hard work they have put in since he was appointed as manager after the Rams earned a 2-0 win over Preston to climb out of the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone.Derby came out firing after a lacklustre opening period and Craig Forsyth coolly slotted the hosts in front with his fourth goal of the season.The Rams doubled thei...
Notts County manager Stuart Maynard hailed a “massive” three points as his side comfortably saw off MK Dons at Meadow Lane to maintain their promotion challenge.Two stunning strikes from David McGoldrick and Will Jarvis from the edge of the box, either side of Nick Tsaroulla’s close-range effort, earned County a convincing 3-0 win.“I think every three points is massive now,...
- 1 Hot WAG flaunts 'astonishing' washboard abs in bikini
- 2 Danny Rohl hails Sheffield Wednesday resilience in draw at Cardiff
- 3 Alfie May double sends Birmingham step closer to Championship
- 4 Marcus Rashford scores first Premier League goal for Villa in win at Brighton
- 5 Ryan Lowe and Conor Hourihane felt team deserved more as Wigan and Barnsley draw
- 6 Mat Sadler hails Taylor Allen set-piece skills after Walsall snatch draw
- 7 Chris Davies says Alfie May’s goal drought never concerned him
- 8 Football fan 'eats' raw pig's head in ultimate insult
- 9 Marcus Rashford still looking to improve after firing Villa into FA Cup semis
- 10 Chelsea prepare €70m for Barcelona defender