Davies: Blues paid price for Pottering about early doors

RIVAL bosses Chris Davies and Mark Robins were united in their assessment of a game that left Stoke unexpectedly in nosebleed territory in the Championship.

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Bosun Lawal's first goal for the Potters settled Saturday's M6 derby after 21 minutes and moved his team second behind leaders Middlesbrough.

The Irish defender Lawal headed in Aaron Cresswell’s 21st-minute corner to hand last season's runaway League One champions a third successive defeat in all competitions.

But while Robins was delighted with how his side’s first game after the international break panned out, opposite number Davies was left to regret Birmingham being left at the starting gate.

“We started the game too slowly,” said a frustrated Davies.

“That was the reason for the defeat. We were too slow to win duels, second balls and didn’t impose ourselves in what was going to be a challenging start.

“That culminated in them scoring a goal from a set piece, which was disappointing. To head it from that far away and to end up in the net... We didn’t do enough with first contact and then it loops in the net.

“It was frustrating to concede like that because ultimately it put them in a strong position and gave us a mountain to climb. Like our last match, we were on the back foot early because of that.

“But we stayed in there and didn’t concede a second goal. By halftime we looked more like ourselves and we continued from the start of the second all the way through to the end.