Birmingham City player ratings after Jay Stansfield scores again to send Blues top
Birmingham City will spend Christmas Day at the summit of League One after Jay Stansfield’s goal secured three points at Crawley.
Stansfield bagged his 13th goal across all competitions at Broadfield Stadium to extend Blues’ winning run to seven matches. As a result, Blues have leapfrogged Wycombe Wanderers to reclaim first place in League One.
The first half was low on quality and devoid of genuine chances. Neutrals watching Sky Sports’ coverage of the match might well have flicked over to a Christmas film at half-time.
READ MORE: Chris Davies gives Birmingham City players a Christmas gift after seven straight wins
READ MORE: Birmingham City dealt blow with key player to miss Burton on Boxing Day
Stansfield sparked the most excited gasp of the first half with a downward volley that Crawley goalkeeper Joseph Wollacott did well to flick behind for another Blues corner. Ryan Allsop didn’t have a save to make at the other end.
READ: Birmingham City dealt blow with key player to miss Burton on Boxing Day
READ: The EFL have taken action to avoid Birmingham City transfer repeat
Christoph Klarer waited until the final game before the yellow card amnesty to collect his fifth booking of the season. A shirt pull on Crawley forward William Swan in first half stoppage time means Klarer will be banned for Blues’ match against Burton Albion on Boxing Day.
Blues started the second half more purposefully and Paik Seung-ho worked Wollacott with a cross-cum-shot after a clever corner routine with Willum Willumsson. The ball was recycled by Blues and crossed towards Stansfield but the 12-goal top scorer miscued from 12 yards.
The Blues breakthrough arrived 11 minutes from time and it came via the likeliest source. Keshi Anderson delivered the pinpoint cross from the right and Stansfield directed his header into the far corner.
Ryan Allsop 6
The goalkeeper was a spectator at Broadfield Stadium en route to his ninth clean sheet of the season in all competitions. Allsop commanded his penalty area well and claimed one first half corner expertly.
Krystian Bielik 6.5
A mixed bag from the skipper. He ran down blind alleys at times in the first half, but he did improve after the break and provided good cover to Klarer at the back.
Christoph Klarer 6
Klarer wasn’t his usual commanding self and picked up a needless booking on the stroke of half-time as a result of him failing to deal with the danger. Klarer will now miss Blues’ Boxing Day match with Burton.
Ben Davies 7
The on-loan Rangers man repelled everything Crawley hurled into Blues’ box from the right and was neat and tidy on the ball.
Lee Buchanan 6
Buchanan was relatively solid defensively and tried to get forward in support of Stansfield but he didn’t always hit the mark with his passes. He looked short of energy after the hour-mark so it wasn’t a surprise to see him replaced.
Tomoki Iwata 6.5
Iwata was sluggish in possession at times in the first half but he sharpened up after half-time. The Japanese midfielder almost scored with what is now becoming a trademark finish from the edge of the box.
Paik Seung-ho 7
Paik upped the ante after the break and tried to create openings for his teammates. The South Korean was super calm in possession at all times.
Keshi Anderson 7*
The winger is an early contender for Blues’ player of the season and made another vital contribution with the assist for Stansfield’s goal. Anderson was Blues’ biggest attacking threat throughout.
Willum Willumsson 5.5
The Icelandic was largely ineffective. He drifted wide to pick up possession and never shied away from the ball but far too many of his touches went awry.
Jay Stansfield 7
Tom Wagner got his chequebooks out for Stansfield to score important goals and this was another one. Two weeks on from his match-winning display at Barnsley, Stansfield did the business again.
Alfie May 6
May pressed relentlessly and retrieved the ball a few times, but Crawley’s defenders generally played out quite well and the diminutive Blues striker struggled to impose himself on a back three.
SUBS
Ethan Laird (for Buchanan, 64)
Laird worked his way into one excellent position but no one could get on the end of his ball across the face of goal.
Marc Leonard (for Willumsson, 74) 6
Leonard added a touch of class in the closing stages of the game and helped Blues pick their way through.
Lyndon Dykes (for May, 74) 6
Dykes' presence in the penalty area sparked panic when crosses were delivered from out wide. Crawley's defenders concerned themselves with Dykes and Stansfield stole in behind him to score the winner.
Luke Harris (for Stansfield, 90) N/A
Taylor Gardner-Hickman (for Anderson, 90') N/A
Not used: Peacock-Farrell, Hansson
Attendance: 5,530 (1,476)
