Birmingham City took a giant leap towards promotion back to the Championship with a 1-0 victory over title rivals Wycombe Wanderers.
Taylor Gardner-Hickman scored the only goal of the game to extend Blues’ unbeaten run in League One to 18 matches and put 12 points worth of breathing space between themselves and the chasing pack.
Blues were the aggressors in the opening 15 minutes at St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park. Alfie May poked a shot goalwards that was well saved by visiting goalkeeper Will Norris before Kieran Dowell went one better.
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Dowell collected a precise pass over the top of Wycombe’s defence by Ben Davies and finished in two touches. Blues’ joy was cut short by the flag of the assistant referee on the near side.
Blues needed little over 20 minutes to take the lead and it was created by Ryan Allsop. The Blues goalkeeper produced a laser-like pass to Gardner-Hickman who killed the ball on his chest and struck a volley that was too powerful for Norris.
Tomoki Iwata would have swiftly doubled Blues’ advantage without Joe Low’s intervention on the goal-line. The ball dropped kindly for Iwata 10 yards out and his shot was destined for the bottom corner before Low toed it away.
Wycombe had their first opportunity to hit back just after the 30-minute mark. Daniel Udoh backed in to Ben Davies and teed up Fred Onyedinma to lash wide from the edge of Blues’ box.
The Chairboys’ task was made more difficult on the stroke of half-time when Simons saw red for a rash challenge on Ethan Laird. Referee Ben Toner is known for reaching for his red card but Simons gave him no alternative.
Wycombe boss Mike Dodds – a former Blues academy coach – switched to a back three at half-time and introduced the experienced Sonny Bradley to play in between Caleb Taylor and Low.
The aerial prowess of Bradley, Taylor and Low appeared to be Wycombe’s best route back into the match and two of them combined for a chance shortly after the restart. Bradley nodded the ball down for Low to connect from close range but Blues goalkeeper Allsop reacted quickly and bravely to thwart him.
Blues managed the game in the second half and despite having to contend with injuries to key players Laird and Allsop, they never looked like conceding.
Ryan Allsop 9*
Is there a better goalkeeper with his feet outside the Premier League than Ryan Allsop? I’m not convinced there is and his first assist of the season was a beauty. There was one hairy moment in the first half where Allsop mishandled a corner but, other than that, he commanded his box superbly and made a brave stop from Low. Fingers crossed his foot injury isn’t serious.
Ethan Laird 8
Laird lulled Simons into thinking he was in the race before accelerating away from him and inviting the challenge that earned the Wycombe man a red card. Blues will hope Laird’s hamstring injury is a small one.
Christoph Klarer 8
The centre-back threw himself at everything inside Blues’ box and got forward in support of Laird and Dowell on the right. His passing in the final third wasn’t always accurate.
Ben Davies 8
Davies showed his passing range with a lofted pass over Wycombe’s defence to find Dowell for his disallowed goal. Defensively, you rarely have any worries with Davies holding the fort at the back.
Alex Cochrane 8
The way Cochrane has battled through the minutes this season has been superb. The left-back had McCleary’s number and was untroubled when Udoh floated over to his side late on.
Tomoki Iwata 7.5
Blues’ defence was extremely well protected by Iwata. The Japanese playmaker was tidy in possession and forceful without it.
Paik Seung-ho 8
Paik carried the ball well and toyed with Wycombe on occasions. He slightly edged his midfield mate Iwata today.
Kieran Dowell 7.5
Dowell showed off his qualities in possession in the first half to dovetail nicely with Laird down the right. Even when he isn’t at his most influential best, Dowell puts a shift in .
Willum Willumsson 6.5
Willumsson was marginally better than he was against Leyton Orient in midweek, but he is still nowhere near the levels we’ve come to expect.
Taylor Gardner-Hickman 8
The technique on display for Gardner-Hickman’s goal must be commended. It was an outrageously good goal that won’t get the credit it deserves because it didn’t nestle in the top corner. Gardner-Hickman worked tirelessly to protect Cochrane and refused to let Wycombe right-back Pattenden get into any crossing positions.
Alfie May 7
May worked tirelessly and had two sights of goal in the first half but couldn’t make a telling connection. The out-of-form striker just needs one to go in off his backside at this stage.
SUBS
Emil Hansson (for Gardner-Hickman, 63) 6
Hansson added fresh legs but he lacked quality when he got into good wide areas.
Krystian Bielik (for Laird, 83) 6
Right-back could be Bielik’s route back into the XI after Laird’s injury.
Lukas Jutkiewicz (for May, 83) 6
Jutkiewicz helped Blues see the game out on his 350th appearance for the club.
Bailey Peacock-Farrell (90+3) N/A
There was a huge cheer when he collected a ball late on in his first league outing since September.
Not used: Hanley, Sampsted, Harris
Attendance: 27,522 (1,930)
