Birmingham City 1-0 Lincoln City: FLW report as Dowell penalty sees Blues return to winning ways | OneFootball

FLW reports from St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park for this League One clash

After suffering their first league defeat since November 23rd against Bolton Wanderers, Birmingham City returned to winning ways by edging out Lincoln City 1-0 at St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park.

Despite being frustrated for the majority of the contest, Kieran Dowell's second goal in Royal Blue since joining on loan from Rangers proved to be the difference, with the attacking midfielder making no mistake from the penalty spot 20 minutes from time.

A 24th victory of the league campaign will also see Blues' unbeaten home league record stretch over the course of 365 days by the time they next feature in B9 against Shrewsbury Town, having not lost in such form since 16th March 2024.

Birmingham City 1-0 Lincoln City

The encounter began, unsurprisingly, with Blues dominating possession, and after seven minutes, Taylor Gardner-Hickman looked for his third goal in as many home matches, but the versatile performer was unable to make a clean connection with Emil Hansson's pinpoint cross.

The Imps' first sight of Ryan Allsop's net came after 10 minutes as the ball rebounded into Sean Roughan's path after an initial long-throw from the defender was headed away by Christoph Klarer, although the Irishman's subsequent attempt flew straight into the Tilton.

George Wickens would then be on hand to tip a fine first-time effort from Gardner-Hickman over the bar after an exquisite ball in from Seung-Ho Paik, before the man on Birmingham's right-wing would be cursing his luck just moments later as another wicked delivery - this time from Alex Cochrane - was put wide by the 23-year-old from just five yards out.

With 26 minutes on the clock, Lincoln looked to cause havoc in the Blues box once more with a long-throw which was eventually returned with interest by Ben House, but his tame effort caused Allsop no issues.

Paik then showcased his talent with another fizzing delivery which could have caused plenty of problems for Skubala's defence, with Paudie O'Connor on hand to divert it behind, before a six-yard box melee from the subsequent corner eventually saw Wickens come up with the ball.

Tomoki Iwata then made a dart into the box, but the Japanese international was unable to connect with Ben Davies' through ball.

A coming-together, followed by some 'afterwards' between the returning Jay Stansfield and Conor McGrandles presented the home side with another set-piece opportunity seven minutes before the break, but Kieran Dowell's delivery flew straight into Wickens' grasp.

With a minute to go in the first period, a strong challenge from Bielik and flick-on by Cochrane saw Hansson afforded plenty of time and space to pick his spot after cutting inside. However, the Swede couldn't replicate his finish against Bolton, dragging his effort inches wide of the left-hand post.

Skubala's side looked to end the first half strongly, with James Collins seeing his header blocked inside the six-yard box after O'Connor rose highest to connect with another long-throw from his centre-back partner.

The experienced striker looked to fashion the first opening of the second period after drifting away from Bielik, before his low cross lacked the direction required to pick out the onrushing Ben House.

McGrandles then won the ball high up the pitch and slotted Jefferies through, but the former Gillingham man's cross had gone over the line before it could reach Collins, who was free at the back post.

Stansfield then had his first shot in anger five minutes into the half, with the Blues record-signing forcing Wickens into a full-stretch save with a snapshot on the turn.

Minutes after entering the fray, Keshi Anderson and Willum Willumsson looked to combine for the opener, but the Icelandic playmaker couldn't time his leap to perfection after the former Blackpool man had the beating of Jovan Makama.

The Blues winger then had another chance to turn provider for Stansfield, but the forward's close-range effort was somehow thwarted by O'Connor on the hour-mark.

After a cagey period, in which the natives became slightly restless, Davies' side would eventually make the breakthrough with 20 minutes remaining as Tomoki Iwata was bundled over by Imps substitute Sam Clucas, with Dowell emphatically firing the spot-kick past Wickens into the top-right-hand corner.

The visitors looked to hit back immediately, but in his final action of the game, Darikwa would fire a low effort towards goal, only to find Davies in his way.

Anderson would then draw a foul on the edge of the penalty area, with Paik firing a powerful set-piece at the Lincoln wall and behind for a corner, with Iwata firing a half-volley well over from 20 yards out following an initial clearance.

With just three minutes remaining, Skubala would cut an extremely frustrated figure on the sidelines as Freddie Draper capitalised on a wayward clearance from Cochrane, playing fellow substitute Reeco Hackett one-on-one with Allsop, before the forward somehow spurned the golden chance.

After five minutes of added time were allocated, Birmingham had the chance to put the contest beyond any doubt as Alfie May made a burst down the left flank and looked to pick out Iwata through the middle, before Wickens was on hand to keep the scoreline at 1-0.

With less than 90 seconds on the clock, the Imps keeper was sent up for two corners which came to no avail for Lincoln, as Blues' lead at the top of the table increased to 11 points following Wycombe Wanderers' 1-1 draw with Peterborough United.

Meanwhile, a third straight defeat on the road leaves Lincoln sitting in 13th place, equidistant between the play-offs and relegation zone.

FT: Birmingham City 1-0 Lincoln City

Player Ratings

Birmingham City

Ryan Allsop - 6

Krystian Bielik - 7 (Willumsson 53" - 6)

Christoph Klarer - 7.5

Ben Davies - 7.5

Alex Cochrane - 7

Seung-Ho Paik - 7

Tomoki Iwata - 7.5

Taylor Gardner-Hickman - 7

Kieran Dowell - 7.5 (Hanley 88" - 6)

Emil Hansson - 6.5 (Anderson 53" - 6.5)

Jay Stansfield - 6.5 (May 71" - 6)

Unused Subs: Bailey Peacock-Farrell, Marc Leonard, Lukas Jutkiewicz

Lincoln City

George Wickens - 7

Adam Jackson - 7 (Hamer 80" - 6)

Paudie O'Connor - 7.5

Sean Roughan - 6.5

Tendayi Darikwa - 6.5 (Gardner 75" - 6)

Conor McGrandles - 6.5

Tom Bayliss - 6 (Clucas 65" - 5.5)

Ben House - 6.5

Dom Jefferies - 6.5

Jovon Makama - 6 (Hackett 65" - 6.5)

James Collins - 6.5 (Draper 65" - 6)

Unused Subs: Zach Jeacock, Ethan Hamilton

Attendance

The attendance at St Andrew's this afternoon was 26,210

Chris Davies reacts as Birmingham City return to winning ways

Speaking post-match, the importance of returning to winning ways wasn't lost on the Blues boss, who said: "I thought it was a big win."

"Obviously, we had some disappointment in the week. Good to bounce back, you don't want to lose two games in a row - we haven't done that this season."

"We were utterly dominant in the game," Davies stated. "I was very wary of Lincoln's threat, they've scored more goals than anyone else in League One since we last played them and I was aware of that."

"They can be really competitive in a game and they've always got a threat, so to limit them to no shots on target and have that level of dominance was excellent."

"I just thought it was a case of, because we weren't 1-0 up at half-time, it was a case of trying to tire them out, keep going, believe that the gaps would open up and we would get that chance, and thankfully, we did," he concluded.

Michael Skubala's assessment of Lincoln City's defeat at St Andrew's

Addressing the media post-match, Skubala was proud of his side's effort against the runaway leaders, but was ultimately left frustrated with how his side lost the encounter with 20 minutes to play.

"It's a tough place to come," the Imps boss began. "You can see that, and they're a quality team."

"They're better now than when they were in the Championship, they're pushing hard, they've got some quality players, but we matched them," the 42-year-old claimed.

"Defensively, we were so solid today, you could see the lads working hard, giving them nothing, George making a couple of big saves."

"Other than that, I don't think they really got in in big ways," he continued.

"We were solid first-half, we were solid second-half. It's a disappointing moment. I haven't watched it back, but you don't want it to be decided on a penalty."

"You want it to be decided by someone putting it in the top corner or something big," he stated. "But, the reaction after we went 1-0 down, we could've nicked a draw here, and I think that would've been a really fair and good result."