Blues got their first three points on the board as they beat Blackburn Rovers 1-2 on Saturday, enjoying our own late goal from Lyndon Dykes in the process.
It was Blues second win in four days having beaten Sheffield United in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday. Wednesday was the first confirmation that we could beat a Championship rival, albeit we know a cup game will generally see a few first team players rested, but yesterday’s victory was a different test altogether.
It was Blues first away day of the campaign and while it was a bit glum in Brum it looked sunny in Blackburn, a perfect day for three points you might say! Blues started strong but the match began to settle Blackburn began to hit us on the counter a bit more and had spells themselves, although neither side looked particularly dangerous, it looked as though it could go either way.
It was in the second half Blackburn eventually struck the first blow putting the lads a goal behind five minutes after play resumed. After then it looked like it was going to be one of those results – I didn’t think Blues were miles better than Blackburn, despite our retention of the ball meaning we dominated possession – and a bit of a reality check. I thought all we’d be able to get was a draw but I thought it was more than possible.
Blues heads didn’t drop after we went behind, in fact they galvanised and pushed on. Laird was brought on and was instrumental for the goal, he drove the ball into the box and Blackburn suffered a moment of lapsed judgement through frustration, they brought Laird down in the box and boom Blues had a penalty.
I have a mate who is a United fan, he represents their fanbase as they all do (Ignorant to any other football and deluded enough to think United are still relevant) and he loves to go in on Stanno. It’s a disease that afflicts football, so many opposition fans are constantly obsessing over Stanno and you get everything from being told he’s a crap player to he can only score pens. Well, he banged another pen in to get Blues in a position that we won’t suffer our first defeat. I’ll take a spot-kick specialist over a defeat all day long!
Despite this being the 90th minute Blues were raring to go again and a quick counter attack, starting with Iwata, saw the ball sent directly to Dimmy who chased it down, owned it and fired it into the box for Dykes to get a foot onto it and subtly nudge it into the goal to absolute scenes. A 98th minute winner from Blues secured our first three points, it showed that Blues don’t give up and it’s something that will be integral to our season.
We saw last season that Blues enjoy tiring out their opponent before killing them off. Blues have once again done that, I think the fresh legs brought on were more than Blackburn could handle which worked well for Blues who were able to keep pushing and find the win. It also is of course the DNA of proper champions, we don’t give up, we fight to the end. It wasn’t the performance of the first two games, Blues did edge the possession but where we made Ipswich and Sheffield look poor, we didn’t achieve this against Blackburn as it looked as though the game could go either way, it is important then that even when we’ve not set the field alight we still get three points.
It’s devastating to be on the end of a 98th minute goal to lose the game, but being on the scoring side, well there’s no better feeling. Blues face Oxford United next at home, Oxford have yet to win a match in the League but have progressed to the next round of the EFL Cup thanks to a win over Colchester. I can’t see anything but another three points for Blues!
BRUM IS BLUE! 
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