Chris Davies was satisfied with the point his Birmingham team earned in their 1-1 draw at Stockport.
City led through Alfie May after five minutes and May, who hit a brace against County a month earlier, could have hit number two just before the break.
But Stockport hit back with 12 minutes remaining, Macauley Southam-Hales heading home from opposite wing-back Ryan Rydel’s cross.
Far from bemoaning letting a lead slip late in the game, Davies was pleased with their reward, earned via a brilliant last-ditch block by Christoph Klarer to deny Kyle Wootton.
“I think in the first half we were good, we started really well,” he said. “If anything I was disappointed not to be 2-0 up at half time with the Alfie chance and some of the football that we managed to play through and create situations. So I’m really pleased with the first half.
“In the second half, and similar to the first game at home against them, they changed and went very direct and really put it on us and I didn’t think we handled that as well as we could. I thought there was a lot of space that we could have exploited when they tried to be that aggressive.
“I thought we could have been better with the ball but there was fire, there was determination, and in the end although we had another big chance they had some chances at the other end so it’s a point that we’ll take.
“There were a few moments that we had to defend and Stockport are pretty strong at home, they’ve had some good wins here so I knew it would be hard.
“I just think in the second half we could have been better but, ultimately, we got the point. Defenders are there to defend and Chris obviously read the situation well at the end and cleared it and that was a big moment defensively.”
County boss Dave Challinor was also happy to share the spoils, after a first half in which the Hatters had been kept firmly at bay but showed a marked improvement in the second period.
“I’m delighted with our performance against, in my opinion, the best team in the league,” he said. “I’d question whether there was a foul on the edge of the box but what a brilliant response. Today was a massive test of our belief, seeing what we could do in the game.
“From the off we probably lacked a little bit there and doubted ourselves. And I said, if you’re going to challenge or change people’s beliefs then you have to go and be positive. And we battled and tackled, and made people think we’re up for it.
“We should have won the game but we’ve got more from the game and that second 45 minutes that, for me, is far more valuable than extra two points.
“We’ve performed really well in our last two games and not got what we’ve deserved in terms of our points return. You see the players give everything they’ve got and belief around the stadium increased. And that’s credit to the players, and the supporters for really jumping along with it.
“The atmosphere off the pitch in the stands is guided by what we do on the pitch, and we have to be in control of that.
“If we can reach the level we had in that second half on a consistent basis, then we’ll be absolutely fine.”
