BIRMINGHAM CITY 3
Miyoshi 2, Stansfield 41, Bacuna 77
SOUTHAMPTON 4
A Armstrong 18, Brooks 55, Adams 59, Aribo 90
MARK Venus lamented a ‘heartbreaking’ defeat as Joe Aribo’s injury-time goal edged a seven-goal thriller in Southampton’s favour.
Standing in for absent boss Tony Mowbray, Venus said: “We got to 90-odd minutes at 3-3 with ten men and just to concede the last goal is heartbreaking for everybody really.
“I think they were dangerous every time they put the ball in the box and bottom line is we rode our luck. We played against a good team in the league and showed a lot of character.’’
It was a wild ride from the start, with Juninho Bacuna’s fine ball putting Koji Miyoshi all too easily in behind to send an effort whizzing past Gavin Bazunu via a Ryan Manning deflection.
The 26-year-old appeared to handle in the build-up, but the goal stood and Birmingham nearly had a quickfire second, with Bacuna’s strike hitting a post and then going out off the back of the keeper’s head.
Saints woke up after that fifth minute let-off as David Brooks’ volley into the ground flew just over before Adam Armstrong and Che Adams tried their luck.
Saints levelled in the 18th minute as Brooks slipped in Adam Armstrong to prod through John Ruddy’s legs with appeals for offside waved away.
The equaliser gave Southampton a pep in their step and Adams saw an audacious longrange effort take a touch off Dion Sanderson and hit a post.
Birminghamm were hanging on for dear life, only to go back ahead in the 41st minute. Jan Bednarek managed to flick on rather than clear Sanderson’s hopeful long ball, putting Jay Stansfield in behind to blast past Bazunu.
Adam Armstrong saw a curling effort hit the
