Having posted three successive wins ahead of a favourable triple-header, Lee Bowyer would have been optimistic about his Birmingham side making a move into the top half of the table.
However, consecutive defeats to Reading and Hull City halted their momentum, heaping the pressure back on Blues ahead of their Midlands derby at Coventry City earlier this week.
Bowyer will be relatively satisfied with a goalless draw at the Sky Blues, particularly having had to play the closing stages with 10 men.
Nevertheless, Birmingham find themselves in a position where they are placed equally between the playoffs and the relegation zone, leaving their campaign at a crossroads.
Despite winning two of their last three fixtures at St Andrew’s, Birmingham still possess the sixth-worst home record in the division.
After going four games without success, there will be those who will claim that Blackpool’s strong start to the season is beginning to peter out.
However, two of those games ended in draws against Swansea City and West Bromwich Albion, results which have kept the Tangerines ticking over in mid-table.
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Still sitting just four points adrift of the playoffs, Neil Critchley will be happy enough with his team’s standing in the table, but he knows that they need to find an extra gear heading into the Christmas period.
The goals have dried up in the most recent five games with each of the Seasiders’ three strikes all coming during the second halves of matches.
On a positive note, they end the year with six favourable games, and achieving 10 points or more will keep Blackpool as dark horses for the top six
