Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Everton 1 Birmingham 1
Wednesday 9th March 2011, 10:00PM GMT.
Birmingham climbed out of the relegation places with a point from their game in hand at Everton.
Blues had led through Jean Beausejour’s header early on but a John Heitinga stunner just after the half hour ensured a share of the spoils for the home side.
It was Everton who had intiially threatened in the opening minutes of the game, goalkeeper Ben Foster having to save a Leon Osman header and a low shot from Jermaine Beckford.
But, just as the hosts were threatening to break the deadlock, Blues stunned them by taking the lead in the 17th minute.
Jordon Mutch, again named in the starting line-up, set up the goal with a ball at head height for Beausejour, who got above Tony Hibbert to nod home.
But, come the 35th minute, Everton were level – and in some style.
Osman’s corner was headed out of the area by Cameron Jerome but only as far as Heitinga, who poised himself to curl the loose ball wonderfully into the top corner for the equaliser.
Goodison Park howled with laughter at the expense of referee Peter Walton five minutes later, after Mutch clattered into Louis Saha.
The referee went for his yellow card only to fail to find one and, with the young Blues midfielder looking completely baffled, instead had to mime his decision.
Into the second-half and Birmingham again found themselves on the backfoot but, for all their dominance, Everton failed to turn possession into meaningful chances.
Their best chances fell to Saha, whose effort was blocked after Mutch flung himself at the ball, and Beckford, his close range snap-shot saved by Foster.
A point takes the visitors to 17th and puts West Ham back in the bottom three, with Blues still boasting a game in hand on all of the bottom half of the table.
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Good point Blues, keep it going.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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