Report: Schlotterbeck scores but Saints held by Blues
Keven Schlotterbeck’s first Southampton goal was cancelled out as Saints were forced to settle for a point at St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park.
Adam Stansfield spurned two golden chances to open the scoring for hosts Birmingham, while Cyle Larin was also guilty of an uncharacteristic miss before Schlotterbeck met Leo Scienza’s corner with a thumping header in first-half stoppage time.
Blues drew level 10 minutes after the restart when August Priske headed home, but Saints improved in the second period and looked the more likely winners.
Larin scuffed another one wide, while Kuryu Matsuki’s fine volley was ruled out for offside before James Ward-Prowse eyed up a late free-kick, but goalkeeper James Beadle prevented a Hollywood script against the American owners.
Tonda Eckert made one change to the side that demolished Millwall 5-1 in a statement victory at St Mary’s, as Tom Fellows, who scored his first goal for the club to cap off the rout, replaced Matsuki in the starting line-up.
Saints were first to threaten when Finn Azaz threaded a pass through the defence for in-form striker Larin to force an early save from goalkeeper Beadle.
Birmingham’s response was a low 20-yard effort from Priske that sent Daniel Peretz stooping to his left.
The hosts were beginning to take control and Saints were fortunate not to fall behind when Jay Stansfield pounced on some hesitation from Schlotterbeck on the halfway line.
The new signing could not get back in time to prevent the striker racing through and striking the post with a low shot from the edge of the box.
Cyle Larin sees a golden opportunity pass him by midway through the first half
That was a presentable opportunity in itself, but even better was to follow. This time Fellows was dispossessed, by Alex Cochrane near the corner flag, whose cross was begging to be headed home only for Stansfield to nod wide from the middle of the six-yard box.
Another chance came the way of the hosts when Jhon Solis dragged a shot narrowly wide from 20 yards, but Saints had their own clear sight of goal that went begging when Larin miscued midway through the half.
After Fellows’ initial dribble on the edge of the box, the ball fell kindly to Azaz, whose brilliant first-time lay-off was sliced wide by Larin on his left foot from 12 yards.
With Flynn Downes already bandaged up following the nasty aerial collision that forced him off at half time against Millwall, James Bree was soon sporting similar headgear after his own clash of heads near the touchline with Vicente.
That prompted a break in play that slowed down the rate of chances, with both sides ruing golden opportunities.
But just as the half looked set to peter out and end goalless, Priske rose above Schlotterbeck to head just wide, with Peretz scrambling across his goal in vain.
With two added minutes signalled, Scienza was pulled back by Bright Osayi-Samuel for the game’s first yellow card.
That invited Ryan Manning to deliver a deep free-kick headed back across goal by Bree and driven goalwards by Cameron Bragg, whose shot was deflected agonisingly wide.
With the added time now elapsed, Saints were afforded enough time to take the resulting corner – an outswinger from Scienza met by a thumping header from Schlotterbeck in front of the jubilant travelling fans.
Saints celebrate as Keven Schlotterbeck heads home in first-half stoppage time
Patrick Roberts threatened to equalise at the start of the second period when he surged infield and hit a low shot well held by Peretz, but Roberts would soon unlock the door to draw the hosts level.
Isolated against Downes near the byline, Roberts jinked back on to his left foot and crossed for Priske to head home from six yards.
Eckert turned to his bench for the first time on the hour, introducing Ward-Prowse and Matsuki for Bragg and Fellows.
The game remained in the balance. Azaz fired just wide, albeit his shot was always veering away from goal and the flag was up in any case.
Saints’ best chance of the second half was to fall to Larin. Scienza was the architect, setting up Ward-Prowse for a deflected shot that Beadle could only parry into the air.
After uncharacteristically missing the target in the first period, Larin was waiting for the ball to drop to steer home on the volley, but again he pulled the chance wide.
It would prove to be the Canadian’s last touch, as Divin Mubama took over to lead the line with 20 minutes to go, immediately going into the book for a stray arm.
Saints were looking the more likely winners, and Eckert’s substitutes nearly combined to deadly effect when Ward-Prowse delivered from deep, Nathan Wood flicked on and Matsuki brilliantly volleyed into the bottom corner, but again the flag was raised to deny Saints.
Priske fired a warning shot just over the bar, but Birmingham were having to do a lot of defending as Saints turned the screw.
When Mubama was fouled with four minutes to go, the script was written for Ward-Prowse, but Beadle read his intentions to repel his free-kick before Bree hammered the rebound into the sidenetting, leaving Saints to settle for a point.
Birmingham City: Beadle, Osayi-Samuel, Neumann, Klarer (c), Cochrane, Iwata, Solis, Roberts (Gray 70), Stansfield (Paik 86), Vicente (Laird 86), Priske (Vázquez 86).
Subs not used: Allsop, Fry, Lund, Fujimoto, Ducksch.
Goal: Priske (55’).
Booked: Osayi-Samuel, Solis.
Southampton: Peretz, Bree, Wood, Schlotterbeck, Manning, Downes (c), Bragg (Ward-Prowse 61), Fellows (Matsuki 61), Azaz, Scienza (Dobbin 81), Larin (Mubama 69).
Subs not used: Long, Stephens, Welington, Akachukwu, Ehibatiomhan.
Goal: Schlotterbeck (45+3’).
Booked: Mubama, Wood.
Attendance: 25,007.
Referee: Anthony Backhouse.
