Summary

  • Scott Hogan gives Birmingham early lead at St Andrew's

  • Przemyslaw Placheta makes it two just before the break

  • Danny Ward reduces the deficit for Huddersfield

  • Birmingham drew opening game of season at Luton Town 0-0

  • Huddersfield lost their opener 1-0 at home to relegated Burnley

  1. That's All Folkspublished at 21:52 British Summer Time 5 August 2022

    Birmingham 2-1 Huddersfield

    Good game - and a great night for the locals at St Andrew's.

    We'll be back for more tomorrow lunchtime when Norwich City host Wigan Athletic.

    They were two divisions apart last season. Now they meet tomorrow for the first time in three years, for a reunion that a decade ago was a Premier League fixture.

    Join us again at just past noon, at Carrow Road.

  2. Saturday's Championship fixturespublished at 21:46 British Summer Time 5 August 2022

    Kick-off 15:00 unless stated

    • Norwich City v Wigan (12:30)
    • Bristol City v Sunderland
    • Burnley v Luton Town
    • Preston North End v Hull City
    • QPR v Middlesbrough
    • Reading v Cardiff City
    • Sheffield United v Millwall
    • Stoke City v Blackpool
    • Swansea City v Blackburn Rovers

  3. FULL-TIMEpublished at 21:41 British Summer Time 5 August 2022

    Birmingham 2-1 Huddersfield

    That's it.

    Referee Gavin Ward calls time. And the eruption of noise from the home fans is heartfelt.

    A first Blues win since 3 April - and that has restored smiles to a lot of home faces. What a magician John Eustace must be!

    Two defeats in two for Huddersfield though. Beaten play-off finalists in May. And now this!

  4. GREAT SAVE!published at 21:40 British Summer Time 5 August 2022

    Birmingham 2-1 Huddersfield

    Blues twice go close to grabbing a killer third.

    Two chances on the break involving Bacuna, Lee Nicholls saves the second of them.

  5. Five minutes of added timepublished at 21:36 British Summer Time 5 August 2022

    Birmingham 2-1 Huddersfield

    Groans around St Andrew's!!!

    Five minutes of added time for Birmingham City and their long suffering fans to endure.

    Or can they go and grab another?

    Already chants of "We are top of the league" from the Tilton End.

    Which they technically would be, if you believe in the modern concept of league tables after less than three games!

  6. SUBSTITUTIONpublished at 21:34 British Summer Time 5 August 2022

    Birmingham 2-1 Huddersfield

    Birmingham's likely matchwinner PP comes off to a great reception. George Friend comes on.

  7. Postpublished at 21:33 British Summer Time 5 August 2022

    Birmingham 2-1 Huddersfield

    Only minutes to hold out now for Blues, for a first win since 3 April.

    Maxime Colin and Josh RuffelsImage source, Getty Images
  8. Postpublished at 21:32 British Summer Time 5 August 2022

    Birmingham 2-1 Huddersfield

    Huddersfield have had the greater share of possession in this game, but Blues have had the better chances - and that is why they still lead.

    A late shout for a visiting penalty goes unanswered.

    One arm went up appealing for it in the press box, of all places, but Mr Ward was having none of it.

  9. SUBSTITUTIONpublished at 21:28 British Summer Time 5 August 2022

    Birmingham 2-1 Huddersfield

    Popular substitution.

    Birmingham City fans favourite Lukas Jutkiewicz comes on, with eight minutes left of normal time.

    Scott Hogan. scorer of Blues' first goal, is the man to come off.

  10. Postpublished at 21:26 British Summer Time 5 August 2022

    Birmingham 2-1 Huddersfield

    10 minutes to go.

    Can Blues see this one out?

    Or have the Terriers got some more fight in them?

  11. FOUR SUBSTITUTIONSpublished at 21:21 British Summer Time 5 August 2022

    Birmingham 2-1 Huddersfield

    Troy DeeneyImage source, Rex Features

    Blues skipper Troy Deeney has been directly involved in six goals in seven home league starts against Huddersfield - three strikes and three assists, for his two prevous clubs Walsall and Watford.

    But there won't be anything for him tonight.

    He goes off, to be replaced by Jordan Graham.

    Huddersfield also make changes - three of them.

    Ramai Edmonds-Green, Danny Ward and Tino Anjorin come off.

    Will Boyle, Duane Holmes and the ageless Jordan Rhodes come on.

  12. Postpublished at 21:16 British Summer Time 5 August 2022

    Birmingham 2-1 Huddersfield

    Juninho BacunaImage source, Rex Features

    Bacuna is next to test Town keeper Lee Nicholls with a right-foot drive from the edge of the box.

    But it is Huddersfield who are looking the main threat now. And Blues have to clear their lines in desperate fashion from a right-wing corner.

  13. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 21:12 British Summer Time 5 August 2022

    Tweet us at #bbcefl

    Gregory: "#bbcefl, external All Blues need now is new owners and huge investment and we'll win the league!"

    Mark: "#bbcefl, external great to see the team playing well, just need to get rid of the owners..."

  14. goal

    GOAL Blues 2-1 Huddersfieldpublished at 21:06 British Summer Time 5 August 2022

    Danny Ward (61)

    Huddersfield get right back in it.

    Danny Ward nets his first goal of the season.

    Fed by Sorba Thomas, a coolly taken low right-foot finish from last term's 14-goal top Town marksman slides in just inside John Ruddy's right post.

    And the Terriers then immediately go close again when Tino Anjorin is fouled right on the edge of the box and has a go himself - but it is blocked.

    Danny WardImage source, Getty Images
  15. YELLOW CARDpublished at 21:04 British Summer Time 5 August 2022

    Birmingham 2-0 Huddersfield

    Booking for Blues.

    Auston Trusty, on his home debut.

    Not entirely sure why. The on-loan Arsenal man's challenge seemed exuberant. No more than that.

    Auston TrustyImage source, Rex Features
  16. Postpublished at 21:01 British Summer Time 5 August 2022

    Birmingham 2-0 Huddersfield

    Lucky escape for Blues as Sorba Thomas wastes a glorious chance to pull one back.

    The ball broke kindly to him unmarked almost on the penalty spot but he got his angles all wrong - and he blazed his low right-foot effort well wide of the left upright.

    Thomas then almost amends with a speculative right-wing cross, which had to be tipped over by an alert John Ruddy for another corner.

  17. Postpublished at 20:57 British Summer Time 5 August 2022

    Birmingham 2-0 Huddersfield

    First corner of the second half to the hosts.

    But PP's left-wing flagkick comes to nothing.

  18. Back underway at St Andrew'spublished at 20:50 British Summer Time 5 August 2022

    Birmingham 2-0 Huddersfield

    Here we go again.

    There are 17,065 in at St Andrew's tonight - and most of them are so far feeling very happy. Delirious even!

    Can Blues keep it up?

    All I know is I've just been brought a lovely half-time cup of tea by local journalist legend Neil Moxley - and I'm confident that will keep me going for the entire 90 minutes!

  19. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 20:48 British Summer Time 5 August 2022

    Tweet us at #bbcefl

    Birmingham fans, how delighted are you by your team's start to this game? Terriers followers, do you see any way back from this position for your side? Get in touch and let us know your thoughts.

  20. Terriers have their work cut outpublished at 20:45 British Summer Time 5 August 2022

    Birmingham City 2-0 Huddersfield Town

    Huddersfield Town fans are used to their side making slow starts to a season.

    The last time they won either of their opening two fixtures of a league campaign was in 2017-18, when they were newly promoted to the Premier League - and they won both, against Crystal Palace and Newcastle United.

    To be 2-0 down at St Andrew's, to a club supposedly in semi-crisis, must seem a world away from that right now.