Birmingham manager Chris Davies rued their missed chances after the Sky Bet League One champions’ frustrating 0-0 draw with Crawley at St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park on Friday.
Birmingham dominated proceedings from start to finish, but were let down by their decision making in the final third.
Jay Stansfield had two of their best chances to score, but they were unable to make any of their opportunities count.
The Blues tried to get back to winning ways after their crushing Wembley defeat to Peterborough last weekend, but they will have to wait for another week.
Davies said: “I thought it was a game we could have and should have won. We had four big chances that we could not convert, and then you end up drawing a game, and you think, well, we have had the opportunities to win it.
“So I am sort of reflecting on the chances that we’ve missed, really, but one of those games.
“There were a few [crosses] in the second half that flashed across the six-yard box late on and a couple of half chances and moments, but nothing that we could get over the line and in the end, we obviously drew the game.”
Davies thought the way Birmingham positioned with the ball surprised Crawley a little.
He said: “Jay had a couple of chances and an assist chance. I think our start surprised them a little bit.
“We tweaked a few little things around positionally, and it probably might have caught them off guard a little bit in terms of where our full backs were, which opened up a bit of space.”
Crawley manager Scott Lindsey was proud of his players and claimed that his team were outstanding against the champions.
Relegation-threatened Crawley did not create many chances, but they defended well and have only let runaway champions Birmingham score once against them all season.
He said: “I’m proud of the players. I thought we were outstanding today.
“It was a very mature performance. It was a great atmosphere pre-game, obviously. They’ve just been crowned league champions, but the players looked to brush that off straight away and dealt with a big occasion.”
Lindsey also thought they had the best chance of the game when Rushian Hepburn-Murphy won the ball and played Gavan Holohan through on goal.
He said: “I think that on reflection of the game, we probably had the best chance of the game.
“We stole it high up the pitch, Murphy stole the ball, and we probably should have scored. I think that was probably the biggest chance of the game.
“I thought we got the game plan nailed on. We just fell short of winning the game.”
