Chris Davies hails ‘best win of season’ as Birmingham beat leaders Coventry

Chris Davies saw Birmingham return to winning ways with a 3-2 victory over Sky Bet Championship club Coventry he claimed was their “best of the season”.

Blues had endured a seven-match run without a win but two goals from Marvin Ducksch and another from Lewis Koumas saw them get over the line against Frank Lampard’s 10-man Sky Blues.

Davies said: “It’s our biggest win of the season. We’re playing the league leaders who are running away with it.

“That’s not just marginal, either. They’ve been fantastic this season. They were in the play-offs last season. We were in League One.

“It’s definitely the best win of the season, given the run we have been on. It was a really good day.”

Davies added on Birmingham’s official website: “Full credit to the players, it’s all about them today.

“No one gave us a chance today, everybody thought Coventry were going to turn up and beat us, and I said that to the players before the game.

“You could see they had that bit between their teeth, they really believed, and we showed all the qualities that are needed to win football matches.

“First, team spirit, togetherness, quality on the ball, clinical finishing, hard work and resolute defending.

“If you do all that, you’ve got a great chance in this game.”

Davies also revealed he took the staff at the training ground for a walk and a coffee in the build-up following a 3-0 defeat by Watford at Vicarage Road on New Year’s Day.

Birmingham led three times but were pegged back twice by Lampard’s side, who have now won just twice in their last eight outings.

Kai Wagner crossed for Ducksch to finish on the full to get the hosts off to a flier but Coventry hit back inside two minutes when Josh Eccles strode forward and let fly from 25 yards.

Birmingham drew blood again in the 17th minute with a move that saw Liverpool loanee Koumas score his first goal for the club.

Jack Rudoni shot through the legs of Jack Robinson, perhaps unsighting goalkeeper James Beadle, for Coventry’s next leveller.

But Birmingham were not a spent force going forward and former Germany international Ducksch defeated Carl Rushworth at his near post for the winner.

Coventry’s frustration spilled over in the fifth minute of stoppage time when Bobby Thomas was dismissed after aiming a slap at Phil Neumann which was spotted by referee James Linington.

Lampard was upset that Linington failed to award a late penalty when Ephron Mason-Clark was pulled over by Tomoki Iwata while contesting a cross.

He said: “We’re disappointed to lose the game. I thought it was there for us.

“We conceded three goals which makes it very difficult to win and I normally credit the opposition if they beat us but it was there for us to go and win.

“It wasn’t a game where you felt a hot atmosphere and big pressure – it didn’t feel like that. There was the opportunity for us to take control – and we didn’t.”