Birmingham City came from a goal behind to win 2-1 at Blackburn Rovers – with one man earning special praise
18:00, 16 Aug 2025Updated 18:05, 16 Aug 2025
Birmingham City manager Chris Davies during the Sky Bet Championship match at Ewood Park(Image: Peter Byrne/PA Wire.)
Chris Davies has praised Ethan Laird for dragging Birmingham City back into their Championship match with Blackburn.
Blues were trailing 1-0 when Laird drove into the Rovers penalty area to win the late penalty that saw Jay Stansfield level the scores.
Lyndon Dykes then converted Demarai Gray’s late cross as Blues won for the second time in three days.
It was a testament to Blues’ self-belief as Laird came on as a half-time substitute for Alex Cochrane and played left back rather than his customary right back role.
“It is a massive three points,” Davies said. “I thought we were the best team throughout the game again. I thought we played the game I wanted us to play.
“It was a bit difficult to break them down, but we had more possession and territory and we were looking solid and didn’t give much away.
“But it was going to take time and I thought the game would open up in the second half, but to be a goal down away from home at a place like this and to come back and win it with five minutes to go is something pretty special.
“It’s not as if we’re conceding a lot of territory and chances at all. We’re looking really strong in the games, but what happens on that one, it goes back to the taker.
“It’s quite unusual for the ball to bounce back to the taker, he’s arriving in the box and to be fair, he’s caught it really well.
“We’re going to have games like that, moments like that, and we are a goal down but we haven’t given a lot away in the three games.
“I’ve been really pleased with the amount of solid defending we’ve done and we haven’t given a lot at all.
“I thought we were unlucky to be a goal down, so I held back [with the subs] and thought ‘Right, let’s leave this a little bit longer and just let these boys grow back into the game’.
“I was pleased with the way we played the game and the contribution of the players that came on.
“I mentioned [Ethan Laird] in my post-match talk to the players that, I don’t often mention individuals, but what I will say about Ethan, he’s shown a lot of character there today because going on to the left back position, not his natural side, he’s played there once or twice for us, but he made that penalty on his own.
“He won the duel, he twisted, he turned, he used his speed, his strength and his cleverness so he really got us drove us back into the game.”
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