Thank goodness that it’s a funny old game, as who would have given Blues a prayer after last week’s pitiful surrender against the Wolves? Then we were taking on a rampant Norwich side who sent Coventry to footballing Coventry in midweek. Yet, to be frank, the Blues team announced was fairly predictable although at least space was found for Che Adams and Tesche.

I’m a great believer in the maxim that you start in games as you mean to go on and early doors Blues pressed encouragingly hard even though Norwich looked mildly dangerous on the break. As the sole wide man representative, Maghoma was obviously up for it although I would have liked to have seen the new boy Stewart given a chance. However, the proverbial hat must be taken off to the Congolese international, who gave the Norwich defence a torrid afternoon. In fact, it was his cross that led to Dave Davis heading home.

Davis was supposed to be playing wide but a midfielder in the opposition box is a brand new concept in Birmingham City terms, albeit one that we’d all like to see on a regular basis! However, it should be recorded that the performances of both Davis and Spector were excellent and I am saying that as somebody who is never going to be a founder member of either of their fan clubs.

The second half saw Blues, again, more effective and when we were awarded a penalty, the Don took full responsibility to coolly slot home. This was well timed following a horrible miss in front of goal by Tesche who otherwise had an excellent game alongside the unsung Kleftenbeld. Blues then nudged their way into pipe and slippers territory when a rocky Norwich defence let in Donaldson to flick home his second and Blues’ third.

Blues then did tire a bit and although Cotterill and Reece Brown came on,it was more of a time wasting tactic at the death. I would have liked to see them given a longer spell but it would be churlish to criticise a winning manager. Incidentally, absolutely no plaudits for the numbskulls who booed Cotterill.