Birmingham City surrendered top spot in League One to Wycombe Wanderers once again by failing to beat Stockport County on New Year’s Day.

Stockport pegged Blues back in the second half at Edgeley Park to record a 1-1 draw. Alfie May’s early strike was cancelled out by Macauley Southam-Hales.

Wycombe’s late victory over Exeter City saw them leapfrog Blues and reclaim top spot, albeit the Chairboys have played a game more. This developing title race is still very much in Blues’ hands and favour.

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Here are our talking points post-Stockport…

Missing: Second goal

Blues can be criticised for failing to kill off teams this season. They missed a hatful of chances to see off Northampton and they also dropped points after taking the lead at Mansfield.

They weren’t dominant against Stockport by any means, but they should have been two goals to the good at the break. May missed a gilt-edged chance to replicate the brace he scored against Stockport last month. Blues need to start being more ruthless in front of goal and put teams to bed.

Stockport managed to rattle Blues

There have been few occasions this season when Blues have looked rattled in a League One game. The Shrewsbury game has proved to be an outlier but Blues were given a scare by Mansfield’s direct plan of attack during the second half of their 1-1 draw in October.

Stockport produced a similar second half performance to Mansfield, with perhaps a touch more quality. In addition to their goal, which came via a left-wing cross and a well-placed header from Southam-Hales, Stockport had further chances to win the game late on.

Southam-Hales hit the post and Kyle Wootton was somehow denied by Christoph Klarer after pouncing on Krystian Bielik’s under-hit back-pass and rounding Ryan Allsop. Blues were fortunate to escape with a point.

Even though Blues have enjoyed two imperious winning runs during this season, the latest of which ended at eight against Blackpool on Sunday, they have occasionally been fallible. Stockport are among the best teams Blues have faced this season.

Louie Barry’s farewell was a non-starter

There must have been a few wry smiles among Blues’ coaching staff and supporters when they received Stockport’s team sheet and Louie Barry’s name wasn’t on it.

Aston Villa recalled Barry – who is League One’s top scorer with 15 goals – from his loan at Stockport before Christmas but they took the unusual step of leaving him eligible to play in the New Year’s Day game. Maybe they would have taken a different stance had it not been against Blues.

Anyhow, Barry suffered an injury in Stockport’s draw with Rotherham on Sunday which ruined his planned farewell against Blues. The 21-year-old instead watched on from the stands as his loan club failed to beat Blues for the second time this season.

Is another winger needed?

Chris Davies admitted afterwards that Lee Buchanan’s knee injury could force Blues to sign another left-back in the January transfer window and things aren’t looking great in his wide department either.

Blues’ wingers have had injury issues throughout this season with Scott Wright and Emil Hansson unavailable more often than not. While Wright is now available again, Hansson is set for another spell on the sidelines and Keshi Anderson has joined him in the treatment room.

With Davies still not enamoured by Ayumu Yokoyama, it might be worth Blues finding another winger in January. You can’t help but think they lack a bit of pace out wide. Maybe Wright can provide the solution to that problem.