Birmingham 2-2 Derby
- Published
Goals from Steven Davies and Theo Robinson helped Derby fight back from 2-0 down to earn a point at Birmingham.
City led when Erik Huseklepp turned in Andros Townsend's deflected shot and also hit the bar through a Huseklepp header on the stroke of half-time.
Marlon King doubled their lead from 12 yards after Townsend's fine solo run.
But Derby hit back with two goals in quick succession, Steven Davies heading in a Ben Davies cross before Paul Green teed up Robinson to level it.
The draw was another blow for Birmingham's promotion ambitions, coming just 24 hours after they were put under a transfer embargo by the Football League for failing to file their accounts in time.
Chris Hughton's side, who lost their unbeaten home record in the Championship to Nottingham Forest last weekend after suffering their first defeat in 16 matches in all competitions, had seemed well set to bounce straight back.
Their lead came courtesy of two of the , external they have made in the last 10 days, with , external cutting into the area following a quickly taken short corner and seeing his shot deflected into the path of Huseklepp, who converted from six yards out.
Derby's only threat of the first 45 minutes came when Shaun Barker headed over from Green's free-kick, shortly before Huseklepp's glancing header came back off the bar as Birmingham enjoyed a succession of corners.
Huseklepp went close again at the start of the second half, when his shot was parried by Frank Fielding and Townsend's follow-up was blocked on the line by Gareth Roberts.
Townsend was involved again for Birmingham's second goal, surging forward before finding King with a clever pass.
Things looked bleak for Derby, who were winless in six going into the game and without even a goal in their previous four outings.
But Rams boss Nigel Clough brought Ben Davies off the bench and his first contribution was to send over an inviting cross for Steven Davies, who fractured his skull in October and has a metal plate in his head, to nod home just past the hour.
Robinson completed the comeback five minutes later and the Rams held on for their point, with Fielding keeping out Guirane N'Daw's long-range effort before Steven Caldwell's header was cleared off the line.
Birmingham boss Chris Hughton: "It was very frustrating. At 2-0 up, with the fact you're playing at home, you fully expect to go on and win.
"But what we have done perhaps in the last couple of games is conceded uncharacteristic goals, by our standards of where we have been.
"That happens. It's very difficult to go through a full season without having some of the lows to go with the numerous ups we have had.
"Probably at the moment, with the Forest game last week, and the Derby result it's a little bit of a low for us. We have to learn from it and look to pick it up again for the next league game."
Derby manager Nigel Clough on Steven Davies, who was making his first start since fracturing his skull in October: "It was great to see him back in action. We took our time with him and it was good to to see him score such a good goal.
"He has taken his time as he has had some injures over the last four years. But he does bounce back and he does get goals as he proved against Birmingham.
"It was nice to come back after three successive defeats. We now have three home games and to get up to 50 points would be very good."
- Published29 February 2012
- Published24 February 2012
- Published23 February 2012