Birmingham City's
misery continued at Prenton Park last night as they were put to the sword by a man with a
score to settle. Senegal striker Seyni N'Diaye, harshly sent off in a match against Blues' reserves last week, exacted ample revenge with a 70th-minute goal which offered relegation-threatened Tranmere Rovers a welcome lifeline and left Trevor Francis' side fearing they will be playing First Division football again next season. For all their recent failings, Blues are still on course for a play-off place, but one point from the last 21 on offer suggests they are a team bereft of confidence and belief. They were the better side for much of last night's match, but could find no way back after N'Diaye headed home his first goal since arriving from French club Caen. If it is any consolation, Blues' performance was at least a vast improvement on the dire fare they have dished up in recent weeks, as Francis readily acknowledged. "It's another defeat, but a defeat where our boys can feel they have given everything," he said. "They deserved some kind of reward. "It was a nice, controlled performance. We attempted to play football throughout the game and we stuck to our task. "I'm disappointed, but we have five games to go and I'm encouraged by what I've seen tonight." Francis, though, was less happy about Tranmere's winner, claiming the home side should not have been awarded the free-kick from which Jason Koumas set up N'Diaye's crucial goal. Ian Bennett was penalised by referee Tony Bates for sliding outside the area with the ball in his arms, but the Blues boss claimed his goalkeeper was fouled. "If you are a goalkeeper and you are pushed outside the area, you feel hard done by," he said. "The referee had a good game but that decision was very costly." Blues' enterprising display should really have been rewarded by at least one goal. As early as the sixth minute, Andrew Johnson wriggled between two home defenders as he cut in from the left to lay on an inviting chance for Marcelo, only for the Brazilian to sidefoot wide from six yards with the goal at his mercy. That was followed by a well-struck 25-yard free-kick from Stan Lazaridis, which was held by goalkeeper Joe Murphy, while Curtis Woodhouse's volley flew over from just outside the penalty area after a flowing move had ended with Jerry Gill's cross being only half-cleared. Johnson, a constant source of inconvenience for the Tranmere defence, produced a smart piece of footwork in the 31st minute before drilling a low left-footer only narrowly wide and Birmingham were desperately unlucky not to go ahead on the stroke of half-time. Nicky Eaden's quickly-taken free-kick caught the home side napping and Blues fans were ready to celebrate as Bryan Hughes unleashed a fierce low drive which thudded against the foot of a post. Tranmere, by contrast, looked for long spells like a side resigned to relegation, which was hardly surprising, given their grim record of four wins in their previous 34 league matches. But the match began to turn when Johnson incurred the wrath of home players and supporters alike. The young striker's late challenge left Jeff Kenna writhing in agony and there were angry exchanges before Johnson was shown a yellow card which might easily have been red. As it was, the 20-year-old marksman was soon on the receiving end of a similarly rash challenge from Richard Jobson, who was also booked for his trouble, but Rovers exacted more satisfying retribution by claiming all three points. Blues have almost forgotten the meaning of the phrase. |
