Birmingham City 1-1 Millwall: Jake Clarke-Salter's equaliser rescues point for Blues
- Published
Jake Clarke-Salter's equaliser was his second Football League goal, coming more than three years after his first in a loan spell at Bristol Rovers
Jake Clarke-Salter's header earned Birmingham City a point at home to former Blues boss Gary Rowett's Millwall.
Central defender Clarke-Salter, on loan from Chelsea, headed home his first Blues goal from a corner 11 minutes from time to cancel out Shaun Williams' excellent long-range opener for the visitors.
Millwall had enjoyed the game's better chances with Blues keeper Connal Trueman making fine first-half saves to thwart Matt Smith's header and Ben Thompson's volley.
They deserved the lead that Williams' 25-yard strike gave them but Blues responded well, although the draw nonetheless stretched City's winless run to five games.
Blues might have claimed all three points as Jude Bellingham flashed a shot just wide straight after Clarke-Salter's equaliser but that would have been harsh on the visitors, particularly Jed Wallace.
The wide man was instrumental for the Lions - Wallace's run set up Williams' opener and he twice sat up inviting crosses that Smith could have converted, one saved by Trueman, the other headed wide.
That latter miss proved key as Millwall, who drop a place to 13th, were unable to hold on to their lead but Rowett has now taken 11 points from six games, losing just once, since succeeding Neil Harris in October.
Pep Clotet's side, meanwhile, registered a third consecutive 1-1 draw but only Middlesbrough and Wigan have scored fewer goals than the 15th-placed Blues in the Championship this season.
They were twice unlucky not to be awarded spot-kicks before Millwall went ahead for Murray Wallace's first-half trip on Bellingham and Jake Cooper's second-half tug on Alvaro Gimenez.
Birmingham boss Pep Clotet:
"I want to praise the side for coming back into a very difficult game and remind the players that Millwall went ahead against Swansea and it was impossible for Swansea to get back into the game.
"We want to remind ourselves of how we can do better, how can we can create more chances and how we can take more chances.
We were unlucky that the referee could not see two clear penalties in my opinion. That would have changed the game but we don't use that as an excuse."
Millwall manager Gary Rowett:
"I wouldn't say I was pleased. The first half was very good - we were by far the better side, and we created a lot of chances.
"When we counter-attacked, we did it well. Our shape was good, we negated a lot. We had a great chance with Matt Smith which would normally be a tap-in for him but it was a great save from Connal Trueman.
"In the second half we ran out of steam a bit, and ran out of composure."