Birmingham City player ratings as Anderson and Willumsson clinch comeback win at Lincoln
Alex Dicken rates the Birmingham City players after the 3-1 win over Lincoln City at Sincil Bank
Keshi Anderson’s brace and Willum Willumsson’s third goal of the season helped the Blues overcome a one-minute deficit to win handily away. This season, Chris Davies’ team has now recovered 13 points from a losing start.
Bailey Cadamarteri scored the first goal when people were still settling into their seats inside Sincil Bank. A long throw-in caught Christoph Klarer’s eye, and Cadamarteri was waiting to convert from close range.
The equaliser came when Blues got their foot on the ball and stopped the Lincoln throw-ins and corners. Anderson fired a left-footed goal from just inside the penalty area after a nice passing sequence.
The Blues dominated the first half after that goal. Despite having 82 percent of the ball and rushing forward, they were unable to penetrate the implacable Imps defence.
Alfie May’s incredible effort was the closest the Blues came to scoring a second goal before halftime. After a deft one-two with Anderson, May fired a 25-yard shot that struck the outside of the post.
Six minutes after the restart, the Blues took the lead that their play merited. Willumsson was set up beautifully by May, and the Icelandic international scored a precise finish from the box’s edge into the bottom corner.
Lincoln tried to force an equaliser by making a number of substitutions. Referee Simon Mather’s decision to rule that Paik Seung-ho had fouled Conor McGrandles within the penalty area in the 72nd minute gave them their huge opportunity.
Reeco Hackett, an Imps substitute, took responsibility, but Allsop saved his penalty. The goalie for the Blues made his second penalty stop of the season by diving low to his right.
With eleven minutes left, Anderson completed another team move to seal the victory. Anderson scored his second goal of the afternoon after Willumsson deftly lay off a cut-back from the right by Ayumu Yokoyama.The Blues goalkeeper is proving himself to be something of a penalty saving specialist. He bailed his team out with a strong stop from Hackett’s penalty. Allsop was also top notch with his feet.
Taylor Gardner-Hickman 6.5
Gardner-Hickman is doing a fine job and kept his place in the team despite the presence of two orthodox right-backs on the bench. The Bristol City loanee was relentless for 66 minutes before being replaced by Laird.
Christoph Klarer 7.5
Stand-in skipper Klarer took it upon himself to repel Lincoln’s aerial assault in the opening 10 minutes. Other than his first contact on the throw-in that led to Lincoln’s goal, Klarer was excellent at the back. The crispness and quality of his passing set up endless attacks.
Ben Davies 7
Davies is proving himself to be a really valuable player for Blues. He is comfortable alongside Klarer and stretched his legs to win some challenges.
Alex Cochrane 7
The left-back is almost a 7/10 every week, such is his consistency. Cochrane advanced well in the first half and set May up with a pinpoint cross to the back post.
Tomoki Iwata 7.5
Iwata was his usual disruptive self in midfield and outperformed Paik on this occasion. He always offered his defenders a pass and knitted things together nicely.
Paik Seung-ho 7
Paik looked a tad jaded in the second half and clumsily gave away a penalty. His quality in possession was there for all to see though, so you can see why Davies allowed him to see the game out.
Willum Willumsson 8
A star turn from the Icelandic on his return from international duty. Willumsson was tidy in his play and scored a lovely goal at the start of the second half before playing his part in the game-clinching third.
Keshi Anderson 8
Anderson will take the plaudits on this occasion after bagging two goals. The winger marked his contract extension in the perfect way with two excellent – and very different – finishes at Sincil Bank.
Emil Hansson 6.5
Hansson combined well with Cochrane a couple of times in the first half and allowed his full-back to go beyond him. The Swede had to be replaced early in the second half.
Alfie May 7
May went close to ending Blues’ goal of the season competition with a 25-yarder that struck the outside of the post after a cute one-two with Anderson. Clever touches was a theme of May’s game and he teed up Willumsson for the second just after half-time.
SUBS
Ayumu Yokoyama (for Hansson, 55) 6
Yokoyama was lively in a longer than usual cameo off the bench. He played his part in the third goal with a good run down the right.
Ethan Laird (for Gardner-Hickman, 66) 6
It was good to see the right-back back on the pitch after seven weeks out injured. Laird was solid in his defensive duties in one of his less adventurous cameos.
Lyndon Dykes (for May, 66) 6
Dykes provided fresh legs and a focal point for Blues’ other attackers to play off.
Marc Leonard (for Anderson, 83) N/A
Not used: Peacock-Farrell, Sanderson, Sampsted
Attendance: 10,026 (1,797)
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