Report: Archer poaches equaliser on return to second city

A nip-and-tuck first half saw chances come and go at both ends before Taylor Harwood-Bellis was denied by James Beadle early in the second period.

Saints found themselves behind a matter of moments later, as another set-piece was eventually met by another central defender, as Jack Robinson’s header looped over Gavin Bazunu to break the deadlock.

The visitors were grateful for a fine Bazunu save as the keeper tipped Jay Stansfield’s skidding shot on to the post before Tonda Eckert’s substitutions turned the game in Saints’ favour.

Three of his replacements combined for Saints’ 71st-minute equaliser, as Cameron Bragg’s piercing pass found Elias Jelert, whose cross was touched in at the near post by the poaching Archer, born in the Midlands and for so long on the books of Blues’ arch rivals Aston Villa.

Eckert promoted Jay Robinson to the starting XI at the expense of Leo Scienza in the only change to his Boxing Day line-up that slipped to a surprise defeat at Oxford.

A lively atmosphere greeted the two sets of players under the lights at St. Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park, but it was Saints who were first to threaten, with Finn Azaz forcing a save from Beadle inside two minutes.

Harwood-Bellis’s long ball was brilliantly taken down by Robinson, before Armstrong nudged the ball on to Azaz, whose low shot struck the keeper’s legs.

Finn Azaz was first to threaten, forcing an early save from James Beadle

Birmingham responded with a couple of close shaves of their own, as top scorer Stansfield rifled a dipping shot just wide, before strike partner Kyogo Furuhashi latched on to Stansfield’s clever touch, sprinted in behind Nathan Wood, but could not keep the bouncing ball down, spurning the best chance of an entertaining opening 10 minutes.

Blues, who boast an impressive home record, kept pushing. Bazunu made his first save of the night to keep out Stansfield’s low shot, while Robinson got the last touch on a short corner, glancing a header just wide of the far post.

In truth these were no more than half chances, and Saints looked comfortable enough in their surroundings. A neat, intricate piece of football offered Armstrong a first sight of goal up against the team he’s scored against more times than any other in his career, but he was operating in such a tight area that he could not do much more than find Beadle’s grasp.

Another chance fell the way of Saints’ No 9 after more good build-up play, this time a flowing team move that resulted in Tom Fellows cutting the ball back for Armstrong, whose low shot was blocked by a sliding defender.

After his sharp footwork freed Fellows for Armstrong’s latest chance, Robinson was next to benefit from Fellows’ wing play, but again Saints found a blue shirt in the way.

Meanwhile, Wood produced a fine block of his own inside a crowded penalty area shortly after being booked, before Kyogo snatched at the loose ball and skewed another presentable opportunity off target.

The final act of a tight first half laden with half-chances rather than clear sights of goal saw Paik Seung-Ho whip in a free-kick from the left corner of the box that clipped Bazunu’s crossbar on its way over.

Another free-kick almost paved the way for Saints to edge in front in the first minute of the second period, as Ryan Manning’s inswinging delivery was glanced on by Harwood-Bellis, forcing Beadle into a flying save, diving to his right to push the ball to safety.

It was looking increasingly likely that a set-piece would provide the breakthrough, and so it proved when Robinson headed Blues in front just moments after Harwood-Bellis had been denied at the other end.

When the initial deep delivery was hooked back across goal, Harwood-Bellis blocked the first chance, but the ball was headed back across goal and looped in by Robinson, as the ball dropped agonisingly over Bazunu’s dive.

Cameron Archer beats his marker to the ball to level the scores

Things would have got worse had the Irishman not tipped Stansfield’s 20-yard drive on to the post four minutes later, prompting Eckert to turn to his bench before the hour mark, with Scienza introduced alongside Jelert, who made his return from injury for his first appearance since October, as Robinson and Fellows departed.

Saints’ improvement was immediate. With Birmingham pinned back during a sustained spell of pressure, Manning’s deep cross was helped back to the edge of the box by Azaz for Harwood-Bellis to strike with power, forcing Beadle into his most uncomfortable save of the night to date, with the keeper only just getting his body behind it.

But it was Eckert’s next pair of replacements that would have the most significant impact, as Bragg and Archer were summoned in place of Caspar Jander and Armstrong.

Four minutes later it was Archer, booed on by the home fans for his longstanding Villa connections, who got the telling touch on Jelert’s right-wing cross after Bragg’s clever through ball unlocked the Birmingham defence.

The hosts felt even more aggrieved because of an alleged foul by Bragg in the build up, prompting multiple yellow cards for dissent to be dished out by unpopular referee Matthew Donohue, both on the pitch and in the technical area.

From then on Saints looked the more likely winners, but there was to be no Joe Aribo-esque stoppage-time winner this time around at St. Andrew’s, as both sides settled for a point.

Birmingham City: Beadle, Sampsted, Neumann, Robinson, Cashin, Tomoki (c), Paik, Roberts (Leonard 82), Willumsson, Stansfield (Koumas 69), Kyogo (Ducksch 69).

Unused substitutes: Allsop, Burrell, Mazwi, Isichei, Fujimoto, Dykes.

Goal: Robinson (49’).

Booked: Neumann.

Southampton: Bazunu, Fellows (Jelert 58), Harwood-Bellis, Wood, Stephens (c), Manning, Downes, Jander (Bragg 68), Azaz (Matsuki 83), Robinson (Scienza 58), Armstrong (Archer 68).

Unused substitutes: McCarthy, Quarshie, Welington, Aribo.

Goal: Archer (71’).

Booked: Wood, Jander.

Referee: Matthew Donohue.

Attendance: 27,895.