Birmingham City 2-1 Plymouth Argyle: Blues sub Jay Stansfield hits late winner on debut
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Scott Hogan's early strike was his first goal since February and his first at St Andrew's in nine months
Birmingham City substitute Jay Stansfield hit a stunning stoppage-time winner to snatch all three points against Plymouth Argyle.
The Devon side looked they had earned a deserved draw when Ryan Hardie equalised on the hour following Scott Hogan's eighth-minute opener.
But, for the second home game running, a Blues substitute came off the bench to get the winner.
It was the second time in successive Saturdays that Argyle had been beaten by a goal scored in injury time, after losing at home to Southampton. And, to further break visiting hearts, this one was scored by a Devonian, Stansfield, son of an Exeter City legend.
Only signed on loan from Premier League side Fulham on Friday, Stansfield coolly flicked the ball before hammering home a right-footed volley into the roof of the net at the Tilton Road End from 18 yards.
Birmingham made an electric start and, on another day, could have been two or three up as summer signings Keshi Anderson and Koji Miyoshi caused mayhem down the left.
As it was, the hosts managed just one, as Anderson slipped Miyoshi into the inside-left channel inside the Argyle penalty area and, when his low left-footed cross arrived in the danger area, Hogan slid in almost on the goal-line to score his first goal of the season.
But Argyle were already getting right back in the contest in the lead-up to the break and on the hour they were level.
Plymouth striker Ryan Hardie had not scored away from home since Valentines Day - in a 3-1 win at Oxford
Three times in quick succession they went close as Morgan Whittaker showed his pace and power before crashing a right-footed shot against the corner of post and crossbar. Then, when Birmingham conceded a free-kick in the ensuing panic, Whittaker's goal-bound free-kick hit Ivan Sunjic as he peeled off the wall.
There was also a possible penalty turned down when Kevin Long appeared to trip Whittaker before, from Adam Randell's long ball, John Ruddy raced from his line to crowd out Hardie.
But the dam finally burst when the dangerous Whittaker turned quickly and produced a powerful shot that was blocked at close range by Ruddy. The rebound fell to Hardie, who stuck away the equaliser.
Within two minutes, Blues boss John Eustace threw Stansfield on for his debut. The visitors could have won it three minutes into injury time when Jordan Houghton had a shot cleared off the line.
Instead, it was Blues who found the net two minutes later as Stansfield, who scored the first goal of his career at St Andrew's in an EFL Cup tie for Fulham in August 2021, came up with another showstopper.
It was the third game running in which Blues have won with goals from their subs, Lukas Jutkiewicz against Leeds - and then Jutkiewicz again and Miyoshi at Bristol City last weekend.
Stansfield's goal was also as breathtakingly cool a finish as could be imagined in such dramatic circumstances as Blues, just as the words in their club song say, once again proved their capacity to "keep right on til the end of the road".
Jay Stansfield also scored the first goal of his career at St Andrew's - in an EFL Cup tie for Fulham in August 2021
Who's next?
After being held 1-1 on the first day at Swansea, Birmingham are now up to third in the Championship table, one of five unbeaten sides.
Blues are at home again in their next league game, against Gary Rowett's Millwall next Saturday, when Argyle host Blackburn Rovers.
But both sides are in second-round EFL Cup action in midweek, Birmingham at home to Cardiff City on Tuesday night, when Argyle host Crystal Palace.
Birmingham City boss John Eustace told BBC Sport:
"It was an outstanding finish from Jay Stansfield and it won us the game and it caps a great start for us.
"It's a real statement of intent from the club that he chose us as he had 12 or 13 other Championship clubs after him.
"We weren't at our best but the way we kept going just shows the way this team scrap. And Jay won it for us with that bit of magic.
"Plymouth did really well, but we knew they'd be tough. They have a very good team and a very good manager."
Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher told BBC Sport:
"I'm absolutely gutted. To lose in that fashion and again in the 95th minute.
"It's doing my head in but it's part and parcel of football. We've made two mistakes and we've been punished.
"We played really well. We more than matched a very good team and we had chances even before Ryan Hardie scored.
"But it's a great finish from Jay Stansfield. That's what players from that level can do."