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<\/p>\nBirmingham City played Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park this afternoon, here’s how we rated Chris Davies’ players<\/p>\n
17:09, 16 Aug 2025Updated 17:21, 16 Aug 2025<\/p>\n
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Birmingham City correspondent for the Birmingham Mail, journalist with 20 years experience, lover of most non-animal, traffic-related sports and extreme cold water<\/p>\n
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Blackburn Rovers’ Dominic Hyam passes the ball under pressure from Birmingham City’s Jay Stansfield(Image: Lee Parker – CameraSport via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Jay Stansfield scored for the third game running but it was Lyndon Dykes who proved Birmingham City’s hero with an injury time winner that took all three points.<\/p>\n
With the game entering stoppage time Blues<\/a> were trailing to Rovers’ only shot on target, a 54th minute thunderbolt from Todd Cantwell, only or Stansfield to add to the goals he bagged against Ipswich and Sheffield United.<\/p>\n Ethan Laird won a late penalty, which Stansfield hammered past Balazs Toth as the game entered stoppage time.<\/p>\n But as Rovers pressed to regain the lead they were caught on the break as Demarai Gray broke free on the right and crossed low for Dykes to slide home and send 7,000 Blues fans into ecstasy.<\/p>\n Chris Davies<\/a> reverted to the same XI which started the game against Ipswich, with Gray fit to start after being subbed at half time in midweek.<\/p>\n The first half was a very cagey affair with Blues starting well against a conservative Rovers team who relied on what they produce on the counter-attack.<\/p>\n That wasn\u2019t much, indeed the hosts failed to register even a single shot in the opening 45 minutes, with Ryan Allsop\u2019s only action coming when Ryan Alebiosu was freed down the right by Dominic Hyam.<\/p>\n The right-back\u2019s low show across goal was parried by Allsop but soon after the referee blew his whistle for a rather generous foul on Christoph Klarer.<\/p>\n That said Blues only produced two shots, with the only one on target very early on when Alex Cochrane sent in a low daisy-cutter from 25 yards that needed Balazs Toth to dive to his left to turn aside.<\/p>\n The second half was a far more entertaining affair, although Davies will not have been entertained by the defending that led to Cantwell’s goal.<\/p>\n The play-maker fired over a right-wing corner and watched as the ball was headed around the visitors’ penalty area – and even back into it by Kyogo Furuhashi before lashing a first time shot into Allsop’s far corner. It was a sweet-strike at odds with what had gone before.<\/p>\n Allsop 6.5<\/strong><\/p>\n Rovers had no shots in the first half and the only one Allsop had to save, which he did, was called back for a foul. Didn’t have a prayer with the Cantwell goal. Very sharp save in stoppage time.<\/p>\n Osayi-Samuel 6.5<\/strong><\/p>\n Booked for preventing a quick throw-in on a Rovers break, which was probably the right thing to do. Got forward into the box when he could in a tight opening 45 but wasted his one good crossing chance.<\/p>\n Neumann 7.5<\/strong><\/p>\n Showed pace and strength to haul in Todd Cantwell as he raced clear of the defence. Also stood tall as Ohashi tried to weave his way into the box. Very good again.<\/p>\n Klarer 7<\/strong><\/p>\n His first half highlight was a Chris Waddle-esque drop of the shoulder which sent him surging through the middle of the park. His low-light was a risky chipped pass that hit Kargbo and sent Cantwell clear. Important block on Ohashi drive in the 72nd minute. Stood up to the late onslaught.<\/p>\n Cochrane 6.5<\/strong><\/p>\n A sweetly-stuck low shot from distance was a close as Blues came in the first half. Some of his set-piece delivery was poor, though. Ended up being replaced at half time.<\/p>\n Iwata 7.5<\/strong><\/p>\n Helped Neumann snuff out Cantwell’s break. He and Paik were on top in the middle of the park but struggled to open up the massed defence. One low shot from distance in the second half was accurate but lacked power.<\/p>\n Paik 8*<\/strong><\/p>\n Closed out the first half with a lovely pass to Anderson with the outside of his boot that ended in a corner. Oozed class and calm for the most part but without ever actually taking a stranglehold on the game.<\/p>\n Gray 7<\/strong><\/p>\n Only had a couple of chances to go marauding through the middle in the first stanza. Won a couple of free-kicks but once again caught the eye for his tracking back as much as going forward. Showed his class to set up the winner.<\/p>\n Stansfield 8<\/strong><\/p>\n A very quiet first half in which he was left foraging for scraps just behind Kyogo – there weren’t many. To be fair it was the 22-year-old who did most to try and inspire a response once Blues had gone behind, although he generated more heat than light until he nervelessly converted from the spot.<\/p>\n Anderson 6<\/strong><\/p>\n Blues’ most obvious outlet for the first 45 but one jink and deep cross aside he wasn’t able to unlock the door and failed to make the most of his best openings. Sent in a couple of well-aimed centres as the game wore on but overall not very effective.<\/p>\n Kyogo 6<\/strong><\/p>\n A really subdued display. Was never more than on the fringes of the game and looked jaded. Heading the ball back into his own box which led to the Cantwell goal was not smart.<\/p>\n Substitutes<\/p>\n Laird <\/strong>(for Cochrane, HT): Very good showing<\/p>\n Dykes <\/strong>(for Osayi-Samuel 81) N\/A<\/p>\n Doyle <\/strong>(for Anderson, 81) N\/A<\/p>\n Willumsson<\/strong> (for Neumann, 88) N\/A<\/p>\n Cashin<\/strong> (for Kyogo, 90+2) N\/A<\/p>\n Not used:<\/strong> Beadle, Leonard, Gardner-Hickman, Fujimoto<\/p>\n Opposition<\/p>\n Rovers (4-2-3-1)<\/strong>: Toth; Alebiosu (Wharton 82), Hyam, McLoughlin, Ribeiro; Tronstad, Tavares; Kargbo (Henriksson 86), Cantwell (De Neve 86), Hedges (Miller 69); Ohashi (Gueye 86). Not used: Michalski, Pickering, Montgomery, Tyjon.<\/p>\n Goals<\/p>\n Rovers<\/strong>: Cantwell (54)<\/p>\n Blues<\/strong>: Stansfield (pen 90), Dykes (90+8)<\/p>\n Attendance:<\/strong> 19,552 (7,010 away)<\/p>\n Referee<\/strong>: Oliver Langford<\/p>\n Who was your player of the match? 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