Stevenage 0
Birmingham City 1
League (League One)

Match report written by Neil Metcalfe, The Comet

A wonderfully hit strike from distance by Alex Cochrane was enough to take League One champions Birmingham City over the 100-point mark with a 1-0 win at Stevenage.

The substitute had only been on for a few minutes when the ball fell to him in the centre of the park.

And he got his technique and direction spot on to send it bouncing into the corner of Taye Ashby-Hammond's net.

Sometimes you have to hold your hands up. Sometimes you're beaten by a good strike and Boro came out of this clash with a huge amount of positives.

There were five changes to the team that beat Bristol Rovers

Piergianni, Forster-Caskey, List, Thompson and Edwards came out with their places going to Dan Sweeney, Harvey White, Louis Appere, Harvey White and Dan Butler.

It also heralded a change in formation, a back three with wing backs, and a 5-3-2 formation, or a 5-2-1-2 if you wanted to split hairs.

The first half was a perfect example of the clash of styles and it started with Birmingham's possession putting Boro on their guard, forced into making tackles.

But the champions didn't create too much, Alfie May's off balance shot drifting away from goal.

But slowly the home players got used to the system and began to start biting into tackles, to the extent that it was visibly unsettling the Blues.

Phillips was leading the way but a high press from Butler gave Boro their first chance, Jordan Roberts right to hit it first time but unable to direct it on goal.

Taylor Gardner-Hickman, who had been in the wars just previously, should have scored but scooped a shot high over the top form six or seven yards.

But Boro finished the stronger. Both Reid and Roberts had chances to shoot but opted not to, while a header from Charlie Goode was flicked by Reid but not enough to divert its momentum.

The questions that would have been asked in the interval would have come from the visitors.

Boro would have wanted more of the same.

And by and large they got it. The intensity and pace from both sides increased but the chances were not as prolific.

And like the Vertu Trophy clash here, it needed Birmingham to turn to the superstars on their bench to turn the game.

Harvey White almost grabbed a point in the final minute of stoppage time but Ryan Allsop was there to turn it behind and earn the Blues the three points.