Birmingham City secured a 3-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers to make it three consecutive Championship wins. The result lifts Chris Davies's side to fourth in the league table with 20 points from their opening 11 games, just three points behind leaders Swansea. This win forms part of a strong recent run, with the team now having taken 12 points from their last five matches.
Liam Millar opened the scoring in the 27th minute, finishing off a swift counter-attack after a QPR corner. Tomoki Iwata provided the assist, sending the forward clear. Millar doubled the lead shortly after half-time, again set up by Iwata, before Demarai Gray added a third in the first minute of stoppage time following a pass from Luis Vazquez.
Manager's reaction
Chris Davies praised his team's intensity and development after the match. "That's what we focused on and I thought there was a real intensity about us today," the Birmingham City manager said. He highlighted the team's strong start and finish, noting an improvement from the 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough earlier in the season. Davies had challenged his players to turn a good week into a great one with this performance, a challenge they met comprehensively. He added that the team's defensive solidity and threat on the counter-attack were key components of the game plan executed perfectly.
Key contributions
Goalkeeper James Beadle marked his 50th appearance for the club with a vital save to deny Ronnie Edwards in the 63rd minute, preserving the clean sheet. Millar's brace takes his season tally to four goals, making him the club's top scorer. The defensive unit, including captain Dion Sanderson, was also credited for a disciplined performance that limited QPR to few clear chances.
QPR manager Julien Stephan conceded his side were architects of their own downfall. He pointed to a lack of maturity in defending the counter for the first goal and a lapse immediately after the interval for the second. Stephan stated his team failed to match Birmingham's aggression and physicality, describing the performance as a step backwards after recent improvements.
Birmingham City now prepare for a trip to face Cardiff City on Saturday in their next fixture, aiming to extend their winning run to four games. The squad's momentum and league position represent a strong start to the campaign under Davies, who will be hoping to have a fully fit squad available for selection as they look to continue their push at the top end of the table.
Further reading: bbc.co.uk
