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Championship
Sep 13, 2014 at 12.15pm UK
 
Leeds logo

1-1

Thomas (37')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Mowatt (76')

Live Commentary: Birmingham City 1-1 Leeds United - as it happened

Find out how Birmingham City and Leeds United played out a 1-1 draw in the Championship.
2

The first game in the Football League after the two-week international break saw Leeds United travel to Birmingham City in the Championship.

Neither side has had an ideal start to the season and that continued with a 1-1 draw at St Andrew's.

Read how it all unfolded with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.


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Good morning everyone! The first game in the Football League today takes place at St Andrew's as two big-city clubs collide in the second city. Team news coming right up.

Overcast day in the Midlands


BIRMINGHAM XI: Randolph, Eardley, Edgar, Hall, Grounds, Cotterill, Caddis, Davis, Shea, Donaldson, Thomas
Subs: Doyle, Robinson, Spector, Gleeson, Duffy, Gray, Shinnie

Four changes for the Blues then. Out come Jonathan Spector, Paul Robinson, Stephen Gleeson and Lee Novak, with Neil Eardley, Jonathan Grounds, Brek Shea and Wes Thomas.

By the way, it's a Brum debut for Brek Shea after he joined the club from Stoke City on loan.

LEEDS XI: Silvestri; Berardi, Pearce, Bellusci, Warnock; Cook, Mowatt, Bianchi, Sloth; Sharp, Antenucci
Subs: S Taylor, Wootton, Cooper, Austin, Tonge, Doukara, Adryan

For Leeds, it's one change from last time as Gaetano Berardi makes his full debut ahead of Scott Wootton.

Around 20 minutes until kickoff now. Why not check out our quick video preview below where I make my prediction on the game:


REFEREE WATCH! The man with the whistle today is Scott Duncan.

As mentioned above, neither the Blues or Whites of Birmingham and Leeds have had good starts to the 2014-15 season. They're separated by just one point in the embryonic table, with Birmingham 20th on five points and Leeds 18th on six points.

Leeds won both fixtures last season against Birmingham, trouncing them 4-0 at home before triumphing 3-1 at St Andrew's in April.

Leeds are still under the temporary care of academy manager Neil Redfearn. New owner Massimo Cellino is yet to decide on who he wants to be boss and the longer it drags on, the more likely it is that Redfearn gets the job full-time. He won his first match in charge last time out as Bolton Wanderers went to Elland Road and lost 1-0.

Birmingham, meanwhile, are winless in four in all competitions. They suffered their heaviest defeat of the season before the international break, going down 4-0 at Wigan Athletic.

By the way, if you want to follow the Premier League's lunchtime kickoff between Arsenal and Man City then open this link in a new tab. Good good.

PREDICTION! As you can see in the video below, I think it'll be a 1-1 draw today. I'm still not convinced that Leeds have really gelled this season while Birmingham often struggle to win games at home.

With the two teams now in the tunnel, both managers have been speaking to Sky Sports. Blues boss Lee Clark says that he wants the side to return to how they were playing before that Wigan defeat, while Redfearn insists that his Whites outfit have plenty of ability. "There's no two-ways about it," he says.

Righty ho, handshakes done. Kickoff is almost upon us. Will it be the Blues or Whites, well Leeds are in their off-gold away kit, who win today?

KICKOFF! Leeds get us underway at a rather empty St Andrew's.

"Marching on together!" belts out the away end. Leeds are probably the best-supported club outside of the Premier League, always taking a small army to away games.

Big jeer in the away end as Thomas needlessly runs the ball out of play after he had beaten Pearce for pace to get to a long ball over the top. Not much else to speak of, with no action in either area as yet.

Promising burst forward from Shea, who is without a doubt sporting the worst haircut on the field today - some sort of mohawk-mullet hybrid. His cross is blocked and then pops up kindly for Leeds keeper Silvestri.

The first effort at goal today comes from Blues skipper Caddis, whose speculative effort from long range is easily cut out by opposition captain Pearce.

SHOT! Caddis's effort might have been cautious, but Shea has just warmed up Silvestri's palms with a stinging 25-yard drive that, fortunately for Leeds, was straight at the Italian stopper.

Oh my, I take back what I said about Shea. Silvestri is sporing an even worse barnet! His hair isn't that long but he's weirdly gone for a dreadlock style. Footballers eh?

Sorry if you're not so interested in the players' hair, but there's not too much happening on the pitch at the moment.

CLOSE! Almost a calamitous moment for Leeds as Bellusci gets up to head away a deep free kick but times his jump wrong and inadvertently flicks it over Silvestri and just past his own post.

Almost 20 minutes into the game and I can't think of one thing that either Sharp or Antenucci have done in attack for Leeds. If you had to say who looks more like scoring, it would be Birmingham.

A bit of excitement for the travelling Leeds support as Warnock bursts down the left after a neat backheel by Sloth. Antenucci doesn't really try to get back onside and Warnock's low cross is easily intercepted by Randolph.

Rubbish from Antenucci, who had a chance to take on Hall but clumsily passed instead to no-one.

That's the loudest the Leeds fans have cheered this afternoon as Caddis swipes at the ball and completely miscues his kick. Silvestri's stop from Shea remains the only effort on target.

CLOSE! Donaldson tries to pick out the far corner with a low curler but that was never troubling the net.

It opens up for Antenucci and he, like Donaldson, goes for the far corner but can't get it on target.

GOAL! BIRMINGHAM 1-0 LEEDS (THOMAS)

Out of nowhere, Birmingham take the lead and a fine goal it is too. Shea's low cross from the right is touched onto his left foot by Thomas, who then curls it into the top corner. Fine finish.

It was such a good finish by Thomas that he's broken the net. The stanchion collapses and it's still being fixed. Big delay at St Andrew's.

Unbelievably, we're still waiting for the net to be fixed. There'll be plenty of added time at the end of the first half.

In case you missed it earlier, open this link in a new tab for our updates on the mouthwatering Premier League clash between Arsenal and Man City. Debutant Danny Welbeck has just hit the post for the Gunners!

"Whey!" chant the Leeds fans as the net is finally fixed after about eight minutes. It didn't really matter that it was broken so why not just wait until half time.

Nine, yes NINE, minutes of added time at what is now a sunny St Andrew's.

Little to speak of so far in added time. It's been a bit of a nothing half, but Birmingham did look more like scoring so it's hard to say that they don't deserve to be ahead.

Leeds have been doing a little bit more pressing in the extra period. Randolph still to make a save, though.

The visitors win their first corner of the game, but they play it short and don't even fashion a cross in the end.

HALF TIME: BIRMINGHAM 1-0 LEEDS

The Blues are one up at the break then thanks to Thomas's net-bursting (literally) finish.

SNAP! Here's the home side celebrating Thomas's goal. He's in there at the back.

Birmingham City celebrate after the opening gaol during the Sky Bet Championship match between Birmingham City and Leeds United at St Andrews on September 13, 2014© Getty Images

If you're only just joining us and want a quick recap on the opening 45, check out our half-time report.

Even though Leeds have had 57% possession on the road, they're yet to get a shot on target. Three of their four shots were blocked, while the only one that went near the goal was high and wide from Antenucci.

BIRMINGHAM SUB: Clark makes a change at half time and it's Paul Robinson on for Grant Hall at left-back.

KICKOFF! The second half is underway. Leeds haven't made any changes, but the fans will be desperate to see young Brazilian Adryan, who is a promising skilful player that was likened to Zico in his youth.

CLOSE! Almost a debut goal for Shea as he meets Cotterill's cross and flicks the ball over Silvestri and just past the post.

SIDE-NETTING! Birmingham starting to turn the screw here and they almost nab a second again when Donaldson goes on the outside and fires a shot against the near side-netting.

Much, much better from Leeds as they play the ball out from the back. Antenucci threads the needle to find Sloth on the right, but his low cross for Sharp is cut out in the middle.

The hosts have just confirmed the official attendance and it's 15, 266, with 2654 Leeds fans at St Andrew's.

SAVE! Leeds have their first shot on target today as Mowatt lines it up from outside the area and curls it towards the corner. Randolph was never getting beaten though and makes a comfortable parry.

Surely Redfearn must be thinking about a change soon? Antenucci and Sharp have done very little up front and it might make more sense to put on a midfielder so they can create more.

LEEDS SUBS: And there you go, two changes for the visitors. Sharp comes off to be replaced by Doukara, while in midfield it's Sloth off, Austin on. Still no sign of young Adryan.

First shot from Doukara and it's closer than Sharp or Antenucci have managed so far. Saying that, it's still a yard or so wide and Randolph knew so. Moments later, Clark brings on Gray for Shea, who has been decent on his debut.

SHOT! Gray makes an instant impact, powering forward from the left and unleashing a shot that Silvestri gets down to beat away.

Great play from Austin, who manages to fire a low cross after some unconvincing stepovers on the left wing. Not long left for Leeds now.

GOAL! BIRMINGHAM 1-1 LEEDS (MOWATT)

And now they're level! Poor defensive header from Birmingham and it breaks to young Mowatt, who holds off a challenge to get the ball onto his stronger left foot before bobbling a shot right into the far corner. Game on!

All of a sudden, Leeds look extremely dangerous and if you had to pick a side who might win it you'd say them.

BOOKING! Cook is cynically brought down by Thomas and that earns the Blues' goalscorer a yellow card - the first of the game.

BOOKING! Birmingham think they've won a penalty when Gray surges past two men to get in the box before he goes past Bellusci and tumbles under the tackle. However, there was minimal contact and referee Duncan is right to book the substitute for diving.

SAVE! Gray makes up for that dive with another lung-busting run into the box. This time he gets a shot away but it's really well saved by Silvestri, who just about did enough to keep it out.

THREE minutes have been added on.

CHANCE! The hosts have a chance to win it, but they can't take it as Thomas gets up highest at the back post but can only head wide.

SHOT! One last chance for Leeds with Austin, who drove forward from midfield and shot towards the far corner. It was definitely creeping in, but Randolph got down quickly to keep it out.

FULL-TIME: BIRMINGHAM 1-1 LEEDS

One apiece it finishes then, just as I predicted!

Click here to read our match report for the game at St Andrew's as Mowatt rescues a point for Leeds. Thomas scored the opener for Birmingham in the first half.

Here's the young Leeds midfielder picking out the bottom corner. Thanks for joining us today on Sports Mole. Have a click around and you'll find live coverage of loads more footy this afternoon. Enjoy!

Alex Mowatt of Leeds scores during the Sky Bet Championship match between Birmingham City and Leeds United at St Andrews (stadium) on September 13, 2014© Getty Images

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Gaetano Berardi of UC Sampdoria in action during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and UC Sampdoria at Stadio Artemio Franchi on November 10, 2013
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