ALMOST inadvertently, Birmingham City are into the last 16 of the FA Cup, where they will play Stoke City a week on Sunday, but while this victory may have proved little more than that their reserve players have the edge over Reading’s, it is still not a prize at which to sneeze.
Reading, defeated for only the third time this season, are left to continue an inexorable march towards the Barclays Premiership and Steve Coppell, the manager of the Coca-Cola Championship leaders, celebrated such a luxury by preparing to pick up a takeaway before heading back down the M40.
On a wet and windy night, Julian Gray scored the winning goal as Birmingham, three places above their opponents in the grand scheme of things, secured a place in the fifth round for only the second time in eight years. Earlier, Stephen Hunt had equalised Mikael Forssell’s opening goal and Reading, even having rested eight players, might well have won if Dave Kitson, their leading scorer, had not spurned two excellent openings in the first half.
“The players are very disappointed,” Coppell said, perhaps masking some relief that Reading’s drive towards promotion will not suffer any more distractions. “We had good possession and some decent chances. But we’ll get a Balti on the way home and in the morning we can focus on preparing for what’s a very important next game.” Reading entertain Southampton on Friday evening before visiting Sheffield United, their nearest challengers, next Tuesday.
Steve Bruce might have preferred to be able to concentrate on Birmingham’s primary ambition — to avoid swapping league places with last night’s opponents — but he must trust that the confidence victories such as this can bring will outweigh the extra fatigue factor. He also fancies the idea of going all the way in the competition.
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“Nobody enjoys the FA Cup more than I do,” the Birmingham manager, who won the Cup in 1990, when Manchester United beat a Crystal Palace team managed by Coppell, said. “I said when I walked in here four years ago that this is the only big club that hasn’t won a major trophy. We know we can’t realistically expect to win the Premiership, but we can win the Carling Cup or the FA Cup.
Maybe it’s our year.”
Coppell’s priorities were laid bare on the teamsheet. Reading may be 21 points clear of the third-placed team in the Championship, but their manager has not got where he is today by taking unnecessary risks. Apart from recalling Kitson, after a hamstring injury, the Reading manager sent out his supporting cast. Only three players had started Saturday’s 4-3 victory away to Crewe Alexandra.
Kitson should have added to his season’s 17-goal haul in the sixth minute but, sent clear by Brynjar Gunnarsson and with Birmingham’s inexperienced defence trailing in his wake, the flame-haired striker dragged his shot wide. Alex Bruce, the Birmingham manager’s son, was fortunate to escape a booking in a cautious first half-hour as he went flying, studs up, into Kitson’s midriff.
The challenge seemed to wake up everyone as, from their next attack, Birmingham went ahead. Forssell received Jermaine Pennant’s return pass on the edge of the penalty area and displayed perfect balance and control to dribble past John Halls and Ivar Ingimarsson. Although his initial shot struck Graham Stack, the Reading goalkeeper, Forssell bundled in the rebound. “Typical Mikael,” Bruce said. “Such quick feet.”
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Reading almost equalised within a minute, but Maik Taylor produced a brilliant double save, tipping Steve Sidwell’s 20-yard shot on to a post and finding his feet sharply to fend off Kitson’s follow-up effort. So few could complain when Reading equalised within six minutes of the restart. John Oster’s lofted pass into the penalty area did not look too dangerous until Bruce allowed Hunt — all 5ft 7in of him — to muscle past and lash a shot on the turn high into the net.
Birmingham responded superbly, however, by going all out for the second goal. Jiri Jarosik, served by Pennant, had one stabbed effort saved before Gray shot wide when well placed. He made no such mistake when picked out by Jarosik’s cross midway through the half, however, heading home when unmarked.
BIRMINGHAM CITY (4-4-2): Maik Taylor — M Melchiot, A Bruce, M Painter, J Gray — J Pennant, J Clapham, S Clemence (sub: S Oji, 90min), M Birley (sub: M Sadler, 59) — J Jarosik, M Forssell. Substitutes not used: N Vaesen, S Alsop, O Allen.
READING (4-4-2): G Stack — J Halls, I Sonko, I Ingimarsson, C Makin — J Oster, B Gunnarsson, S Sidwell, S Hunt — D Kitson, S Long (sub: S Cox, 68). Substitutes not used: C Osano, A Federici, C Sinnott, S Golbourne. Booked: Gunnarsson.
Referee: P Walton.