Chris Davies expressed his frustration following Birmingham City’s goalless draw with West Bromwich Albion at St Andrew’s, highlighting missed opportunities and contentious decisions that affected the outcome.
The Blues were denied a chance to climb into the Championship play-off spots after West Brom’s August Priske had his stoppage-time goal ruled out. Priske’s header from Kai Wagner’s corner was disallowed because Demarai Gray was deemed offside and obstructing goalkeeper Max O’Leary’s line of sight. While Davies accepted this decision, he was more aggrieved by a pivotal moment earlier in the match.
In the first half, Callum Styles stopped Paik Seung-ho’s header with his hand on the goal line — an incident Davies felt unquestionably warranted a penalty. “If there’s VAR then it has to be a penalty,” Davies insisted, emphasizing the missed opportunity that could have changed the game’s complexion.
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Reflecting on the game’s key moments, Davies praised a remarkable goal-line clearance from West Brom’s defense and acknowledged his team’s growing momentum during the second half. However, he admitted Birmingham City lacked their usual intensity and fluency in the opening stages, which contributed to their inability to create more clear-cut chances.
“We weren’t as fluent in the first half,” Davies said. “We usually get through more, but they packed their defense well, making it difficult. We were possibly too slow with our passing and lacked the sharpness needed early on.”
At halftime, Davies urged his players to increase the pace and intensity, which they managed to do as the game progressed, but it ultimately wasn’t enough to secure the full three points. Despite the frustrations, Davies acknowledged the resilience his side showed under pressure and the valuable point gained from a tough local derby.