Birmingham City 1-2 Bolton Wanderers: Immediate Reaction

They've only gone and done it. They've only gone and won the match and it's about damn time. Ten miserable outings for Bolton ahead of this match at Birmingham City with lucky number 11 finally on the horizon. This was just about everything that Wanderers fans wanted from their side and it was good of them to finally deliver.

Bolton Wanderers started as well as possible despite having the minority of possession. It's a good job that Daniel Burn wasn't that good on the day because it really worked to the Trotters' favor in the first half. The long ball out of the back was thankfully misjudged by Burn and it allowed Beckford to get in behind him, finishing well past goalkeeper Darren Randolph. It was great of Beckford to finally get his first league goal despite the fact that he had missed numerous chances that were infinitely easier than this one. Anyway, 1-0.

It's a little bit worrying that Bolton are so happy to cede possession to the opposition, happily opting to hoof it up to the lone striker instead. It's a tactic that so rarely works. Beckford was probably the exception to the rule but it is a dangerous game to play.

Then, Bolton scored a second. Liam Feeney was once again the dangerman for Bolton and it was his teasing cross that Randolph, the goalkeeper (thankfully) flapped at that led to the goal. Fate would have it that it was Neil Danns, who was objectively poor for the whole of the match, would be the one to score.

Bolton did as Bolton will do and made it tense, allowing a goal from a set piece. Nikola Zigic, the Birmingham substitute was the obvious target there and it was Darren Pratley marking the really tall man. It was a mismatch and Bolton paid the price.

It's also a good thing that the referee was largely awful on the day. Bolton got away a clear handball in the dying stages of the game and with hearts pounding through four long minutes of added time, the Trotters held out. Bolton finally have a win and finally have a goal from a striker.