Birmingham Close In on Championship Play-Off Spots
Demarai Gray delivered a moment of brilliance as Birmingham City moved to within touching distance of the Championship play-off places with a hard-fought win over Watford.
Paik Seung-ho opened the scoring with a crisp long-range strike before Gray produced a sensational solo effort, curling the ball into the top corner to give Birmingham full control by half-time.
Despite a second-half response from Alan Maamma, the hosts—pushing for back-to-back promotions after last season’s League One title success—held their nerve to secure another vital three points.
Birmingham climb to seventh, just one point outside the top six, while Watford remain 15th, four points behind Chris Davies’ improving side.
Fast Start, Fine Goals, and a Determined Finish
Watford began the match with intent, carving out their first chance inside 60 seconds as Tom Ince fired narrowly wide from the edge of the area. Birmingham quickly replied when Tommy Doyle’s corner skidded across goal, barely missing Paik at the far post.
The early tempo remained frantic. Marc Bola’s driven ball across the Birmingham penalty area threatened danger, while Maamma found pockets of space but failed to convert two promising openings.
At the opposite end, goalkeeper Nathan Baxter kept Watford level with a superb stop to deny Phil Neumann from close range following sharp build-up play from Jay Stansfield. Baxter later gathered Doyle’s long-range effort as Birmingham started to grow into the game.
The breakthrough finally came on the half-hour mark when Paik pressed high, won possession, and drove forward before striking low into the bottom corner.
Three minutes before the interval, Gray delivered the highlight of the match—cutting in from the wing and bending a stunning shot into the top corner.
As one spectator noted, “Gray’s goal wasn’t just a finish — it was a statement of quality.”
Watford attempted to respond early in the second half. Bola forced James Beadle into a strong save after an intelligent pass from Imran Louza. Moments later, Marvin Ducksch should have killed the game for Birmingham but astonishingly missed from six yards.
Watford eventually pulled one back just after the hour when Maamma swept home Bola’s cross, injecting fresh energy into the visitors. They piled on pressure in the closing stages, but Birmingham stood firm to secure their fourth consecutive home victory.
“We created pressure, but pressure alone doesn’t win games—goals do,” a Watford fan remarked post-match.
Managers React
Davies: “A Really Big Win”
Birmingham manager Chris Davies praised his team’s resilience:
“It’s a really big win. In the first half we were the better team and scored two good goals. When they pulled one back, we had to dig in and show character.”
Davies highlighted the threat posed by Maamma and applauded his squad’s mentality, adding he was delighted to sit seventh after a demanding fixture.
Gracia: “We Are Paying for Our Mistakes”
Watford boss Javi Gracia felt his team performed well but lacked clinical finishing:
“We had chances, but they took theirs. When you dominate, you have to score—and we didn’t. We’re paying for our mistakes.”
Despite the defeat, Gracia insisted he still believes in his players and the team’s direction.
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