Stoke City 1-1 Birmingham City: Nick Powell rescues point for Potters
- Published
Nick Powell was on target with Stoke's second league goal of the season
Nick Powell rescued a point for Stoke City with a late equaliser in a drab home match with Birmingham City.
Powell met Tyrese Campbell's low cross and his effort deflected off Harlee Dean before trickling over the line.
Dean had put Blues in front with their first attempt on target, leaping highest to power Maxime Colin's corner into the top corner.
Steven Fletcher came closest to breaking the deadlock for Stoke in the first half when his free-kick struck a post.
The two sides had managed just three goals between them from their opening three league games, but both boasted miserly defences, and predictably, clear chances were few and far between in a cautious match.
Ivan Sanchez fired over the crossbar early on, but that was it for the Blues' attack before the break as Stoke carried what threat there was.
Lee Gregory wasted a golden chance right on half-time, heading Harry Souttar's cross over the bar from inches out.
And James Chester also went close to the opener when he met Sam Clucas' corner, but Lukas Jutkiewicz diverted his goalbound effort over the bar.
Aitor Karanka's side showed little ambition, with a set-piece always looking their likeliest route to goal, and Dean's header looked to have snatched an unlikely win.
But unbeaten Blues had to settle for their third successive league draw as Powell grabbed a scruffy equaliser, with Stoke's only effort on target.
Potters manager Michael O'Neill told BBC Radio Stoke:
"When you're behind and you get something from the game, you have to take something from that, but we had total domination from about 15 minutes into the game.
"Before they scored they were happy to get out of here with a 0-0, but equally we had to keep going, we found a way to get the equaliser and just couldn't find a way to get the winner.
"This league is so difficult, there such fine margins in the games. If we had lost that game today you'd be left scratching your head how that's the case given the level of dominance, but that's the nature of it, you lose a goal off a corner and sometimes you give yourself a difficult task and we have to avoid doing that."
Birmingham boss Aitor Karanka told BBC WM 95.6:
"I'm a little bit frustrated, but again thinking of the big picture of our position, no-one expected one month ago.
"One month ago we were in St Andrew's after defeat to Cambridge and everybody thought more or less it was going to be the same and one month later we are in a good position, we are unbeaten.
"We competed really well today, we didn't create a lot of chances, but we scored one goal and it's a good point."