Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish was understandably delighted after his side snatched a point at the death in the 1-1 draw with Cardiff City at St Andrew’s and reserved special praise for goalscorer Lee Bowyer.
The Bluebirds looked on course for a deserved victory on the balance of play after Joe Ledley volleyed a sublime effort into the top corner just after the hour mark but three Coca-Cola Championship points shrank to just one as debutant Bowyer smashed home a 94th-minute equaliser for Blues.
McLeish acknowledged his side were very much second best after a promising start to the game.
“I’m sure Cardiff will think it’s tough on them but we threw everything at them at the end and we risked losing another goal to get an equaliser. And it paid off,” he said.
“I’m pleased for Lee, I’m delighted for him. He showed he’s still got the legs and he’s still got the energy. He found that wee bit extra to get in the box and find that equaliser at a crucial time for us.
“I thought we started really well and for 20 minutes or so we dominated. Cardiff then had a wee spell but I don’t think either goal was really threatened.
“Second half, we never really got started, we huffed and puffed but Cardiff definitely dominated proceedings.”
The Blues boss was coy over whether Radhi Jaidi had fouled Roger Johnson in the build-up to his side’s equaliser, but also pointed to Cameron Jerome’s disallowed first-half goal for offside.
Asked whether he thought it was a foul, McLeish said: “Maybe, but Dave (Jones) probably didn’t mention Cameron Jerome’s goal, which I felt was onside.
“So we all see through our own club’s spectacles.”
Cardiff boss Dave Jones was adamant the equaliser should never have stood.
Video replays suggested Jaidi had fouled Johnson as Cardiff failed to clear their lines, and Jones could not believe referee Michael Jones failed to give it. “I think if the referee looks at it again, he’s given all of those pushes and fouls all day and the one time that we want him to give one – he hasn’t,” he said.
