Birmingham City Manager, Chris Hughes praised,”He has got a habit of that, Murph,”
“He is dangerous in those situations. He has done very well for us. And he is in very good form.”
“The goal was needed. At the stage of the game we were a little bit in the ascendacyand that’s when you have to score.”

Christ Hughton thinks Birmingham didn’t only stayed true to their football beliefs, but also stood up to West Ham too. Hughton said,”In phases of the game, you could see why West Ham are where they are. I think they’ve got a bit of everythinng. They got quality, power and pace. No doubt about that. And when you look at their bench it’s a strong bench.”

“Particularly in this division, where it’s relentless, they’ve got enough physicality and a directness about their game as well to get them points.”
“To concede so early and come back, we showed really good desire and mentality in that second half.”

Here’s a short description about the match,
Birmingham dug very deep indeed, somehow surviving a first half-punding after Carlton Cole’s early goal. They also got away with an unspotted David Murphy handball before the same player rescued a point as West Ham paid the price for trying to shut up shop.

Sam Allardyce’s stress levels, based on an unscientific barometer reading of his gum-chewing speed, looked to be off the scale when Darren Deadman blew the final whistle in the sixth minute of injury time.

Manager Allardyce’s post-match analysis steered clear of criticising the referee and focussed instead on a wonderful save by Boaz Myhill from Cole in the dying seconds of the first half and West Ham’s inability to make the most of their opportunities.

There was also the matter of looming suspensions.
George McCartney, Julien Faubert and Kevin Nolan all picked up their fifth booking of the season at St Andrew’s and are out of West Ham’s next game against Derby.
“I don’t know where I’m going to get the players to play,” admitted Allardyce after the game. “But today was about us missing our chances.”
“Yes the ref could have given the penalty.”
“It wasn’t given unfortunately. And that was a great save just before half-time.”
“We controlled the first half but there were lots of things that were disappointing in the second half. It might be a bit over-critical, considering our problems, but if we want to get promoted our results over the last four games have not been good enough.”

In this, the final week of 2011, it was somehow apt that old acquaintances Sullivan, Gold and Brady were back at their former stamping ground of St Andrew’s.

It was Gold’s first appearance since he was banned by Peter Pannu, now a director and formerly acting chairman of Birmingham.
All three would have been beaming as Cole – another player with a Villa connection – caught Pablo Ibanez napping in the opening minutes after a hoof from Robert Green and a nod-on by Faubert.
The opener signalled a dominant spell and Birmingham could have gone further behind when Murphy and Piquionne challenged in the air and the left back brushed the ball away with his hand.
“You are going to see incidents which on another occasion might go another way, ‘ admitted Birmingham manager Hughton.”

If that was a talking point, so was Myhill’s superb reaction to push Cole’s snap shot to safety.
From then on it was all downhill for West Ham as Birmingham displayed the tenacity which has seen them juggle Europa League football and their domestic programme this season.
Hughton brought on Nikola Zigic and kept West Ham on the back foot.
Birmingham thoroughly deserved their equaliser too, Murphy heading past Robert Green with nine minutes to go.
And had Marlon King taken a good chance as the clock ticked down, Hughton’s battling side could have snatched all three points.

Don’t forget to watch the match between Birmingham and Blackpool in New Year’s Eve.