Birmingham City advanced to the Emirates FA Cup fourth round with a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Hull City on Tuesday evening. Under the lights at a below-freezing St Andrew’s Stadium, super substitute Koji Miyoshi's 93rd-minute strike completed an excellent second-half turnaround, earning new manager Tony Mowbray a first Blues win - albeit in the third round replay.
Up against a heavily-rotated Tigers side, Blues carved out more clear-cut chances and registered seven shots on target. Nonetheless, the first half was far from convincing and the visitors went 1-0 up through Jason Lokilo in the 12th minute. Krystian Bielik's failure to deal with a ball over the top allowed James Furlong to run in behind with ease and square it into the danger zone. John Ruddy had no chance.
Birmingham had a brilliant opportunity to equalise in the 39th minute as Gardner's audacious bicycle kick was miscued and Bielik tried to nod in from close range. The Poland international couldn't convert, however, as he put his header just wide of the right post. Jordan James was the next to go close as he struck merely inches adrift of the bottom left-hand corner about a quarter of an hour into the second half.
Mowbray made a rare quintuplet of substitutions in the 63rd minute as Donovan, Longelo, Gardner, Oliver Burke and Keshi Anderson all made way. Ivan Sunjic, Tyler Roberts, Koji Miyoshi, Siriki Dembele and Jay Stansfield were the five to come on at once. Blues' fresh legs stunned Hull and it was only a matter of minutes before Stansfield had the ball in the net for 1-1. Two of Mowbray's five subs combined as Miyoshi stung the gloves of Matt Ingram and Stansfield was there to follow up, controlling the ball in the air and striking fiercely into the roof of the net on the half-volley.
It was all Blues for the remainder of the second period and you could sense another goal was coming – or at least that's what most were hoping to avoid extra time in the freezing cold conditions. In a relief to everyone in attendance - apart from the away fans, of course - Miyoshi stepped up as the late hero to win it at the death. There was a little good fortune as the Japanese's first shot was scuffed into the ground and into his path before he fired in at the second time of asking, sending the half-full Tilton into a frenzy. Here are our Blues player ratings.
Attendance: 7,133 (394 away)
1. John Ruddy - 6
Saved Sayyadmanesh’s header with ease early doors and kept Blues in it with a couple of decent stops in the second half. Nowhere to be seen as Furlong tapped in for 1-0, though.
2. Cody Drameh - 6
Read the game well, cutting out passes down the wings and playing out of trouble confidently.
3. Krystian Bielik - 5
Made the mistake that led to Hull’s opener as he failed to deal with a ball over the top and didn’t recover afterward. Didn’t put much of a foot wrong after that but the early blunder was decisive.
4. Lee Buchanan - 6
Didn’t exactly excel in the awkward centre back role but didn’t make any errors of note. Wasn’t afraid to get forward and assist in midfield when needed.