Birmingham City 3-2 Coventry City: FLW report as Ducksch brace sees Blues down Sky Blues | OneFootball

FLW report from St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park for this Lunchtime fixture

Birmingham City recorded their first win in eight Championship games with a dramatic 3-2 success over league leaders Coventry City at St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park.

Chris Davies' side found themselves 2-1 up at half-time as Marvin Ducksch and Lewis Koumas netted either side of Josh Eccles' fine strike after eight minutes.

Frank Lampard's outfit equalised once more through Ellis Simms' deflected strike on the hour mark, before Ducksch recorded a second brace in royal blue to secure the points.

Coventry also saw Bobby Thomas dismissed in second half stoppage-time after shoving Phil Neumann to the ground inside the penalty area.

Birmingham City 3-2 Coventry City

There was very nearly some drama in the opening seconds as Carl Rushworth's first long ball was charged down by Jay Stansfield, although the rebound would drift way wide.

The German would net his fourth goal of the campaign after six minutes though, as he met debutant Kai Wagner's inch-perfect cross with a side-footed finish that flew past the Coventry shot-stopper.

However, the table-topping Sky Blues instantly responded as Eccles found the bottom right-hand corner from 25 yards out after being afforded acres of space to fire home what was also his fourth of the season.

The in-form Ephron Mason-Clark was then unable to complete an eight-minute turnaround as his long-range effort was deflected into James Beadle's grasp, before Simms was unable to find the winger who was unmarked in the centre of the box with a low cross.

Blues' keeper was then at full stretch to thwart Bobby Thomas' unmarked header from Matt Grimes' curling free-kick, before the hosts restored their lead against the run of play on 17 minutes as Patrick Roberts was able to pick out Koumas' run as the Liverpool loanee rounded Rushworth to slot the ball over the line.

Mason-Clark saw another effort drift wide of the mark midway through the first period as he directed Milan van Ewijk's teasing cross off target, whilst Birmingham came close to a third as Ducksch poked an effort just over the bar after a breakout from Wagner and Roberts.

Coventry then missed a golden chance to equalise for a second time after 35 minutes, with Ellis Simms unable to sort his feet out after yet another strong Grimes cross.

The first opportunity of the second period saw the striker frustrated once more as he headed a corner wide before Mason-Clark fired a low drive that was comfortable for Beadle.

However, the City striker would eventually record his ninth of the season with a low shot that took a deflection off Jack Robinson and past the Blues keeper.

The scores would be level for just three minutes, though, as Ducksch latched onto another Roberts through ball to slot home at Rushworth's near post.

Rudoni looked to drag Lampard's leaders level yet again but headed off target from close range, before Stansfield and Tomoki Iwata had strong drives blocked as Davies' men went in search of a fourth.

With seven minutes remaining, Simms failed in search of his own brace, firing over Beadle's crossbar under pressure from Iwata despite strong subsequent appeals for a corner, before Eccles also headed a Rudoni cross way wide in his last action before being substituted.

The travelling supporters then saw appeals for a penalty in the final minute of normal time as Mason-Clark brought down a cross-field ball before falling under Iwata's pressure.

Blues substitute Kyogo Furuhashi looked to cap off a crucial victory with his first league goal, although his deflected effort was just about kept out by Rushworth, before Thomas was shown his marching orders in the fifth minute of eight added on for a shove on Neumann.

FT: Birmingham City 3-2 Coventry City

Player Ratings

Birmingham City

James Beadle - 6.5

Tomoki Iwata - 6.5

Phil Neumann - 7

Jack Robinson - 7

Kai Wagner - 7 (Sampsted 71" - 6.5)

Paik Seung-ho - 6.5

Tommy Doyle - 7

Patrick Roberts - 8.5 (Willumsson 72" - 6.5)

Jay Stansfield - 7 (Fujimoto 92" - N/A)

Lewis Koumas - 7.5 (Cashin 65" - 6.5)

Marvin Ducksch - 8.5 (Kyogo 72" - 6)

Unused Subs: Ryan Allsop, Scott Wright, Menzi Mazwi, Dan Isichei

Coventry City

Carl Rushworth - 5.5

Milan van Ewijk - 6

Bobby Thomas - 5

Liam Kitching - 6

Jay Dasilva - 6

Matt Grimes - 6.5

Josh Eccles - 7.5 (Andrews 89" - N/A)

Jack Rudoni - 7

Tatsuhiro Sakamoto - 6 (Wright 67" - 6.5)

Ephron Mason-Clark - 7.5

Ellis Simms - 7

Unused Subs: Ben Wilson, Joel Latibeaudiere, Luke Woolfenden, Jake Bidwell, Miguel Angel Brau, Callum Perry, George Shepherd

Chris Davies reacts as Birmingham City defeat Coventry City

Issuing his thoughts as Blues returned to winning ways, Davies said: "I'm really pleased.

"I think it was a game not many gave us a chance in," he claimed. "I think the players showed everything you need to win football matches, which is pleasing.

"They showed the quality moments, clinical finishing and aggression, togetherness, team spirit, and then the resolute side to the defensive work.

"If you do all that, you've got a great chance, and we beat the top team in the league because of it.

Asked about the performance of two-goal Ducksch, the Blues boss added: "He showed his qualities.

"The way he took his (first) goal is a good sign of that. I think, when it's in the air, you can go safe and cushion it into the space, or you can hit it hard. He hit it hard and that's a sign of his personality.

"We've got to keep him going and growing, basically. You can see, well, he's the match-winner today. That's what he's capable of."

Frank Lampard's thoughts as Coventry City lose at Birmingham City

Reacting to a third defeat in eight games, Lampard's initial thoughts were: "We're disappointed to lose the game. I thought it was there for us (to win).

"We conceded three goals, which makes it very difficult to win a game. I thought the game was there for us, possession was ours.

"I normally credit the opposition if they beat us. But, personally, I thought the game was there for us to go and win and we didn't do that," he explained.

"They were good goals for them and bad goals for us. That's pretty much always the case. But, in terms of general play, to have a lot of the ball.

"It wasn't a game where you felt a really hot atmosphere or big pressure and all those things. It didn't feel like that, so that was there for us to take control, which we did, but without the extra urgency to hit them on the side of the pitch like we normally do with speed and repetition," said the Sky Blues boss.

"We didn't reach those standards today.

When asked if he was frustrated with Birmingham's quick third in response to a second equaliser, Lampard added: "Yes. That's what goals do to games."

Quizzed on whether Thomas was rightfully dismissed or not, he admitted: "I haven't seen it. If it's a sending off, it's a sending off and we'll lose Bobby for three games if it's one that's deserved.

"He has to accept the responsibility for that. We also have a clear, clear penalty at the end of the game (on Mason-Clark), which is in a run of penalties (not given.)

"If anyone saw the Ipswich game, Haji Wright's penalty was as clear as they come, Woolfenden in the same game, then Southampton away, penalty and Charlton at home, penalty. None of these are given.

"For some reason, we're on a run where we, as Coventry City, are not given penalties that are really clear. Sometimes we receive apologies, but at the same time, you drop points for these things."

The attendance at St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park this afternoon was 27,923.