Birmingham City manager Chris Davies has pointed to the sticky pitch at Sixfields as a key factor in Tomoki Iwata’s unfortunate own goal during their 1-1 draw against Northampton Town.
Despite persisting with their passing style against an intense Northampton press, Birmingham’s approach backfired in the 17th minute when Iwata misjudged a pass and diverted the ball into his own net. However, the Blues recovered through Keshi Anderson’s second-half header to salvage a point.
Davies defends his playing style
Davies stood by his team’s approach, despite the costly mistake, attributing the error in part to the pitch conditions.
“It’s a sticky penalty area and it’s just got caught and bobbled in. We had an advantage on the left side but couldn’t exploit it, and we’ve looked for something intricate when it wasn’t necessary. We’ve paid the price.”
The Birmingham boss acknowledged that such risks come with their style of play but insisted he takes responsibility for those moments.
“The pitch obviously plays a big part in that because, on our pitch, that process would happen more smoothly. I take responsibility for these types of errors because the players could just boot it up the pitch whenever they get it. I want us to play sensible football, not take ridiculous risks, but this is how we play, and it has worked very well for us.”
Northampton proving a tough opponent
Northampton Town remain one of the few teams to have avoided defeat against Birmingham this season, with both league meetings ending in draws. Davies dismissed the idea that the Cobblers hold any special advantage over his side.
“I don’t think it’s anything specific. The last game was different – we were attacking a low block and they scored in the last second to draw. This time, we just couldn’t get control for the first half-hour, and it was a scrappier game than I wanted it to be.”
Writer’s view
Davies’ insistence on maintaining a passing game, even on difficult surfaces, reflects his belief in a long-term philosophy rather than short-term fixes. While Birmingham remain top of the league, they will need to ensure that costly mistakes, like Iwata’s own goal, do not become a pattern as they push for promotion.
Northampton have proven to be a tough opponent for the Blues, and if they want to finish the season strongly, they may need to adapt to different match conditions more effectively.
