Celebratory Blues dish out a birthday bashing

CHRIS Davies praised Marvin Ducksch and his budding strike partnership with Jay Stansfield after Birmingham City’s deadly duo downed Norwich.

- By ALEX DICKEN

Marvin Ducksch celebrates with Jay Stansfield and Tomoki Iwata. Left: the commemorative programme.

Ducksch and Stansfield scored two apiece as Norwich became the latest Championship team to ship four goals at St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park.

German striker Ducksch netted his first goals for Blues in a devastating first half performance, while Stansfield took his tally to nine for the season across all competitions.

Blues’ upturn in fortunes has coincided with Ducksch’s return to fitness. The striker has started five league games and Blues have won four of them, scoring 14 of their 24 Championship goals in the process.

“We've got him going and fitter,” Davies said of Ducksch’s impact.

“He’s a player who will always create chances for other people around him via his link up play and his intelligence but he’s a striker and all strikers want to score goals.

“His blindside position for the first goal was really good, then just arriving and sensing for the second goal.”

Stansfield and Ducksch have struck up an instant understanding within a front four that also possesses quality wide players Patrick Roberts and Demarai Gray.

Davies added: “There’s a chemistry between those players at the moment that’s working well. I think Jay is able to use his speed and his energy in a different kind of way and link off Marvin.

“I thought Jay was excellent in his pressing, his energy and his defensive work, then with the movements he was making and the goals he scored.”

Another three points lifted Blues up to ninth in the Championship table and rounded off a significant week in the club's history.