Gary McSheffrey is grateful that Birmingham City are back in action tomorrow night - just for a quick chance to wipe Blues' second successive away defeat from their collective memory bank.

Just as at Elland Road three weeks ago, McSheffrey was part of a team that lost by the odd goal in five. But, in the same way that Blues spent a fortnight without a game after the late loss of two points at home to Leicester City, he is comforted that his team are back into a steady run of games which gives them the chance to build up momentum.

He said: "The one good thing is we've only got three days to get it out of our system before the home game with Norwich on Tuesday night, " he said. "And we know we've got to win that. But we've got five games in just over a fortnight, and we know there's the chance of a lot of points to be collected."

While Blues hve only one point from three matches, McSheffrey believes his team are not far from clicking into place, saying: "We just need a bit more luck and a bit more ruthlessness. And we also need more confidence in front of goal. That's where you win games. In the penalty boxes."

McSheffrey was twice a loan signing for Luton Town in his Coventry City days, even earning a League One championship winners' medal two seasons ago. But Saturday's return to Kenilworth Road was a mixed experience for Blues' big-money August transfer window signing.

He shone early on but it was also his late pass that was intercepted, allowing Luton the chance to counter-attack for their winner.

"For me, coming back here was not about how any one individual plays," he said. "But you can look at it either way. I might have done some good stuff but I also gave the ball away when they went and scored the winner and I'm not happy that we've lost.

"I don't think we deserved to lose but that's this league and you've got learn from it.

"We started off really well for the first 25 minutes, then we get a soft penalty given against us, then let in a bad goal from a corner and it's an uphill battle from there on.

"We got ourselves back in it, then we got hit on the break and maybe we should have been a bit more disciplined. But we were attacking in waves, eventually got caught out with too many numbers up front and they did us on the counter."

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