Davies: We lacked 'zip' to convert any chances

CHRIS Davies conceded Birmingham City didn't do anywhere near enough with their lion's share of possession in their defeat to Bristol City on Saturday.

- By ALEX DICKEN

Sinclair Armstrong raced away to score the only goal of the game at Ashton Gate and condemn Blues to a fourth away defeat of the season.

Blues had 72 percent possession but they couldn't properly test home goalkeeper Radek Vítek.

Speaking afterwards, Davies said: "There are positives to be drawn from how dominant we were against a team who will again be up there challenging for the playoffs this season but we have to carry more of a threat when so much on top.

"It's a game that really got away from us. I felt we would have some of the ball today but probably not as much as we ended up having. We just didn't do enough with it to create the clear openings and the chances that we needed to.

"In some ways it felt like we were the home team but the danger was always the counterattack, a fast break and we didn't suffer many of them at all. That one goal was the big one. They broke away and scored it. It's something we have been working on and paying attention to, stopping those counterattacks from this team, but we couldn't do it."

Away games in the Championship are difficult enough without giving the opposition a goal they haven't had to work for.

A careless pass from Paik Seung-ho conceded possession and Rob Atkinson pinged a first-time pass in behind Blues' defence for Armstrong. Phil Neumann couldn't keep pace with Armstrong and the striker expertly finished across James Beadle.

On the goal, Davies added: "You're going to lose possession, you have just got to sense the danger.

"He's obviously really quick, Sinclair Armstrong.

"I think in that situation, if we can just retreat nice and quickly, and close the space a little bit then obviously we don't get done with that one.