Birmingham City continued their impressive campaign at the top of League One with a resounding 4-0 victory over Cambridge United at St. Andrew's Stadium on February 11, 2025. The result not only reflects Birmingham's dominance but also extends their lead at the pinnacle of the league to seven points.
Jay Stansfield put Birmingham on the scoreboard first, converting from the penalty spot after just 23 minutes. Stansfield's goal marked his 19th across all competitions this season, coming after Ethan Laird was fouled inside the box by Cambridge's James Brophy. This season, Stansfield's scoring prowess has been instrumental to City, ensuring they maintain pressure on their rivals.
With Birmingham firmly controlling the game, the team swiftly doubled their lead at the 39-minute mark when Liam Bennett inadvertently turned the ball past his own goalkeeper, Nathan Bishop, from Keshi Anderson's dangerous cross. Bennett's unfortunate own goal epitomized the struggles of Cambridge, who find themselves stuck at the bottom of the league.
Before the halftime whistle, Kieran Dowell added to the scoreline with another goal, making it 3-0 less than a minute after stepping on the pitch. Dowell side-footed home after Anderson cleverly dummied Stansfield's pass, demonstrating Birmingham's fluid attacking play.
After the break, the momentum remained with Birmingham, yet Stansfield could not add to his tally as his second penalty of the evening was saved by Bishop. The goalkeeper managed to block Stansfield's attempt, ending his perfect record of converting penalty kicks this season, which had been seven out of seven until this match.
Despite the missed penalty, Birmingham's hunger for more goals was clear. They continued creating chances before Luke Harris sealed the victory with just ten minutes left on the clock, firing home from 20 yards after former City defender Michael Morrison deflected Scott Wright's cross away from danger.
This match marked Birmingham's biggest home win since they beat Reading 6-1 back in December 2014. The Club has now extended their unbeaten run to 14 matches within League One, showcasing consistency and strength as they push for promotion.
Throughout the match, Birmingham displayed resilience and tactical prowess under the guidance of manager Chris Davies. The team outperformed Cambridge, who are grappling with their own problems, having not won any of their previous 11 matches.
Sunday's clash featured some notable performances, including the stellar play from Anderson and Dowell, who efficiently orchestrated the team's movements and continued their impressive form.
Cambridge's players, including former Birmingham stalwarts like Michael Morrison and Garry Monk, faced immense pressure as they struggled to hold back the attacking waves from the Blues. Monk, who had previously managed Birmingham, sees his current side rooted to the base of the table, offering little resistance to their superior opponents.
With this victory, Birmingham looks poised to capitalize, holding two games-in-hand over the competitors trailing them. Their next challenge will be to maintain this form as they aim to solidify their position for automatic promotion back to the Championship, fostering hope within their fanbase.