O'Connor comes off sick bed to score - 7M sport

O'Connor comes off sick bed to score

Posted Saturday, September 19, 2009 by PA

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish revealed match-winner Garry O'Connor almost missed the 1-0 win at Hull through illness.

O'Connor came off the bench to settle a scrappy Barclays Premier League contest at the KC Stadium by heading home after 75 minutes.

Injuries had forced McLeish to name just six substitutes for the game and it could have been worse had O'Connor not recovered from a sickness bug.

McLeish said: "We have had a catalogue of injuries that would absolutely frighten you. We were down to the bare bones.

"Garry was on his sickbed as well. He was off Thursday and came in Friday and did a little jog.

"He came in after 10 minutes and the puppy-dog eyes were there - I think he wanted me to send him home.

"I said, 'You need to come. We'll put you in a car, not the bus, and you can have a single room'.

"He came down this morning and was bright and bubbly, devoured his breakfast and said he was available if I needed him. I said, 'I really need you'.

"When he came on you wouldn't have known he had been ill, he was very sharp."

Birmingham had the better opportunities throughout the game but were frustrated by the performance of Hull goalkeeper Boaz Myhill.

Myhill produced a number of good saves to deny the visitors, with Christian Benitez and Lee Bowyer thwarted several times between them.

Ecuador striker Benitez, who sported a bandage after an early clash of heads that required stitches, looked particularly lively on his first league start.

McLeish added: "I thought the wee man came alive when he got a head knock.

"He was finding his feet and the big fellas were knocking him about.

"But he came back on and showed the type of character he is. He was willing to do his bit and became very dangerous in the game.

"We felt if we played the right type of game and tried to get dominance in midfield we could get opportunities.

"I felt we did that today but there is still work to be done. We are a work in progress."

Hull manager Phil Brown put his side's defeat down to a lack of concentration and admitted, with just four points from six games, confidence is low.

Brown said: "Birmingham put in a shift, a performance worthy of frustrating the home opposition.

"They gained confidence from the fact we were giving the ball away cheaply in the first half.

"Myhill was the busier of the two goalkeepers so I suppose Alex will be saying he deserved it.

"We could have got something from it. We had the opportunity but didn't take it.

"For someone to walk into our six-yard box and get a free header needs to be looked at.

"Confidence levels are now low and they need picking up."

Hull produced a strong finish and hit the crossbar late on, while Stephen Hunt was also denied a penalty.

Brown said: "I don't want it to sound like sour grapes but it looks a stonewall certainty to me. But I'm bound to say that now we have lost 1-0."

Brown added that he is hopeful midfielder Geovanni will soon commit to a new contract.

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