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Defeat number three for Clarets
We always knew this run of three games was going to be difficult, and after losing at both Cardiff and West Brom it left us under some pressure to get a result against Birmingham, without doubt one of the strongest sides in this division. They have a big squad, many of whom were in the Premiership with them, and have added to it as well as having three Arsenal youngsters there on loan.
There's no doubt we couldn't start as we had done at West Brom and we didn't. Steve Cotterill had made two changes to that side. Frank Sinclair's one match suspension meant a first home league start for Stephen Foster, whilst Micah Hyde returned at the expense of Wade Elliott, with Chris McCann going out onto the left and Steve Jones on the right.
It was down the right where the move began that led to us going in front with just four minutes gone. It was Foster who got in the cross, and what a good cross it was. It beat everyone and dropped nicely for McCann who came in behind everyone and slotted the ball home past the helpless Maik Taylor.
This was McCann's second goal in successive home games, having scored the late, late winner against Ipswich, and it was just the start we needed. It could have been two when the ball found Jones in the box but his shot on the turn went over and shortly afterwards Birmingham equalised in bizarre circumstances.
Michael Duff cleared a Birmingham cross but it struck Jon Harley. Now it could have rebounded just about anywhere but it dropped ever so nicely for Nicklas Bendtner about two yards from goal and he had the easiest of chances. It's said you make your own luck but Birmingham had done nothing to deserve that.
In the next few minutes either side could have gone ahead and probably Birmingham should have done. Firstly Jones went on a mazy run before hitting a shot from just outside the box. Unfortunately it went just wide but somewhat closer than former Blackburn midfielder Neil Danns got when he was presented with the easiest of chances. It wasn't obvious where he was aiming but it went some distance wide.
The last quarter of an hour of the first half was a quiet period with neither side able to grab the initiative and the sides went in level at half time with the Clarets still cursing their luck over the equaliser.
Burnley were the brighter side from the off after the interval and took the game to Birmingham. We got the ball forward countless times but we weren't able to get the wide players into dangerous positions often enough and too often the play was too narrow.
We weren't getting too much from the officials either. Referee Wright had started the game well, he'd looked to keep the play moving and made excellent use of playing advantage. But now he was missing too much and too often Birmingham were allowed to get away with too much at the back.
As an attacking force, the visitors had become virtually non existent as the Clarets continued to take the game to them. They looked as though they were happy with a point and it was beginning to look increasingly likely that we would have to settle for a point.
Both sides made a substitution with little effect, but Birmingham's second change was to bring on DJ Campbell and within a minute he'd won the game for them. It came when Bendtner got round both Thomas and Harley in the box and him getting the ball across from the right. That ball should have been dealt with by Brian Jensen, but he fumbled it, and Campbell had the easiest of tasks to put the ball into the net.
Turf Moor had been buzzing for much of the second half, many fans standing as the support got better and louder, but this goal momentarily silenced them. It really was a hard one to take.
We came back at Birmingham though and came as close as you can to an equaliser without getting it. Jon Harley got down the left and his cross was met by Andy Gray. It looked goal bound but was cleared literally off the line. It was to be our last chance and the points were gone.
It wasn't our best performance of the season by any stretch of the imagination, but I'm sure we will look back on this as being one of our least deserved defeats come the end of the season. There were some good performances, James O'Connor was certainly the pick of the midfield again, but the man of the match vote was surely a choice between two defenders who are bang in form right now.
Take your pick, Jon Harley or Michael Duff. I've decided to go for Duff, who was in good form yet again alongside the disappointing Wayne Thomas. I certainly wouldn't disagree though with anyone who chose Harley.
Deserved or not, we need to start picking points up again, and we have that chance against Leeds on Tuesday. We've got to take that chance.
The teams were;
Burnley: Brian Jensen, Stephen Foster, Wayne Thomas, Michael Duff, Jon Harley, Steve Jones, James O'Connor, Micah Hyde, Chris McCann (Alan Mahon 86), Gifton Noel-Williams (Kyle Lafferty 75), Andy Gray. Subs not used: Danny Coyne, John McGreal, Wade Elliott.
Birmingham: Maik Taylor, Stephen Kelly, Martin Taylor, Radhi Jaidi, Matthew Sadler, Sebastian Larsson (DJ Campbell 82), Neil Danns, Fabrice Muamba (Mehdi Nafti 75), Stephen Clemence, Nicklas Bendtner, Gary McSheffrey (Matthew Upson 90).
Referee: Kevin Wright (Peterborough).
Attendance: 12,889.