Birmingham City hammered Norwich City 4-1 at St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park to mark their 150th anniversary
Birmingham City’s Marvin Ducksch celebrates his second goal against Norwich
Birmingham City ended a momentous week in their 150-year history with another mauling at St Andrew’s.
Norwich City were the latest victims in B9 as Marvin Ducksch and Jay Stansfield both bagged braces in a 4-1 win. Mathias Kvistgaarden replied for Norwich against the run of play in the first half.
This fixture was pencilled in for celebrations to mark the club’s 150th anniversary, hot-on-the-heels of the unveiling of the club’s proposed new stadium on Thursday, and Blues ensured the party continued on the pitch.
Demarai Gray fired an early warning shot that was palmed away by Norwich goalkeeper Vladan Kovacevic after Blues pressed aggressively to win possession in the attacking third.
Kovacevic’s goal was breached inside three minutes and Gray was the provider. The winger latched onto a clip over the top from Alex Cochrane to flash the ball across to Ducksch for a tap-in.
After breaking his duck, Ducksch should have doubled Blues’ lead after being found 10 yards from goal by Patrick Roberts. Kovacevic was out of the equation once more but Ducksch produced a wild finish that landed in the Gil Merrick stand.
The second arrived after 20 minutes as Stansfield nodded home his seventh Championship goal of the season. Gray and Ducksch were involved before Roberts weaved his magic down the right to fire across a ball that was gobbled up by Stansfield.
Jay Stansfield (centre) of Birmingham City celebrates his goal against Norwich
There should have been a penalty for Blues soon after when Ducksch was tugged back by Harry Darling when through on goal.
Referee Anthony Backhouse refused to award the spot-kick but replays showed the challenge was a carbon copy of the one that Phil Neumann made on Josh Sargent on the halfway line earlier on. Neumann conceded a free-kick and received a yellow card, whereas Darling went unpunished.
Norwich pulled one back 12 minutes before half-time in what was their first threatening foray forward. James Beadle could only push a cross from the right out to the penalty spot where Kvistgaarden was waiting to fire home.
The final say in the first half would go to Ducksch who fired home from close range after Tomoki Iwata’s header was kept out. In truth, the 3-1 scoreline at half-time flattered Norwich.
Blues grabbed the fourth goal their play deserved within 10 minutes of the restart. Gray snapped into a challenge successfully and released Stansfield who calmly lifted the ball over Kovacevic.
Tomoki Iwata went close to adding a fabulous fifth with a thunderbolt from 25 yards that clipped the outside of the post.
Blues didn’t need the extra bit of gloss on the scoreline after another scintillating showing on home soil that produced four goals and three points.
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James Beadle 8
There were a couple of really good saves in quick succession in the second half, particularly one to keep Duffy at bay from close range on a corner. Beadle has made his presence felt in the Blues goal.
Tomoki Iwata 8
Is there a better right-back in the Championship on current form? I think not. Iwata is popping up all over the shop for Blues and almost scored a Goal of the Season contender with a piledriver that struck the post.
Phil Neumann 8
There were some really important defensive interventions from Neumann to keep Norwich out in key moments of the match. The ex-Hannover 96 man is turning into a very good signing.
Christoph Klarer 8
Klarer had a few battles with Sargent and won most of them in a typically dominant performance a few days after signing a new four-year contract.
Alex Cochrane 8
A lovely Cochrane clip over the top set Gray away to assist the opening goal and Blues’ left-back showed his quality in possession all afternoon.
Alex Cochrane of Birmingham City
Tommy Doyle 9
Doyle has become the orchestrator to the Blues machine and his importance increased in Paik Seung-ho’s absence. The midfielder was perfectly positioned to regain possession whenever Blues lost it and by
Marc Leonard 8
There was a lot to be admired about the way Leonard adapted to a role that is designed for Paik. He advanced forward to support the front four and drifted over to the left to create space.
Patrick Roberts 8
Roberts can have the award for Best Supporting Act. He wasn’t as devastating or prominent as his attacking colleagues, but the 28-year-old notched up another assist for Stansfield’s first and was still very effective.
Jay Stansfield 9
A typically tenacious display from Stansfield who now has nine goals for the season across all competitions. The striker showed a deft touch in the first half to put Ducksch through on goal in an action that should have resulted in a Blues penalty. A top drawer display from Stansfield who made a very difficult finish for his second look easy.
Demarai Gray 9*
This was Gray’s best game of the season. The Birmingham-born winger endured a painful international window with Jamaica failing to qualify for the World Cup but he used that as fuel to terrorise Norwich.
Gray was involved in most of Blues’ best bits and produced some exquisite touches on the left-wing. Two assists takes Gray’s tally in the league to six goal contributions.
Demarai Gray of Birmingham City in action against Norwich
Marvin Ducksch 9
The Ducksch has landed and Blues are better for it. Their performances with and without Ducksch over the course of this season bear no comparison. A double got the striker off the mark in Royal Blue but his game is about so much more than goals. The German is in irresistible form.
SUBS
Kyogo Furuhashi (for Ducksch, 72) 6
You half expected the final 20 minutes to be packed with Kyogo chances and his teammates trying to set him up, but the Japanese striker didn’t have a sniff of goal.
Keshi Anderson (for Gray, 72) 6
Slotted in on the left and played some neat combinations without threatening the goal.
Bright Osayi-Samuel (for Iwata, 88) N/A
Lyndon Dykes (for Stansfield, 88) N/A
Lewis Koumas (for Roberts, 90′) N/A
Not used: Allsop, Cashin, Robinson, Fujimoto
Attendance: 28,080 (1,958)
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