Gary Rowett took charge of his first Championship game with Birmingham City on Saturday lunchtime as his side travelled to high-flying fellow West Midlands team Wolverhampton Wanderers.
After last week's 8-0 hammering at home to Bournemouth, Rowett shored up the Blues' backline and they held out for a goalless draw.
Read how it all unfolded in our minute-by-minute updates below.
Happy November everybody! The first game in the Championship today takes place at Molineux as Wolves, with their eye on going top of the table, welcome nearby Birmingham. Let's get straight to the team news...
WOLVES XI: Ikeme; Doherty, Batth, Ebanks-Landell, Rowe; McDonald, Evans, Henry, Clarke, Jacobs; McAlinden
Subs: Flatt, Edwards, Stearman, Saville, Sako, Sagbo, Van La Parra
Subs: Flatt, Edwards, Stearman, Saville, Sako, Sagbo, Van La Parra
BIRMINGHAM XI: Randolph; Caddis, Morrison, Robinson, Grounds; Gleeson, Shinnie, Davis; Cotterill, Donaldson, Arthur
Subs: Doyle, Hall, Eardley, Reilly, Brown, Shea, Thomas
Subs: Doyle, Hall, Eardley, Reilly, Brown, Shea, Thomas
Let's take a closer look at the visitors and Rowett's first team selection as Blues boss. He gives a start in defence to Michael Morrison, who only joined the club on loan from Charlton Athletic yesterday. He comes in for the suspended David Edgar. There are three other changes as Andrew Shinnie, David Davis and Koby Arthur come in for Grant Hall, Lee Novak and Wes Thomas.
Wolves, meanwhile, are without key forwards Bakary Sako and Nouha Dicko. Sako has been struggling to get fit in time and is named on the bench, while Dicko is missing completely. Liam McAlinden is back in the squad and leads the line on his first league start this season.
Here's the walk that the players will be taking in about 20 minutes at Molineux:
Click here to see the latest Championship table ahead of today's 11 games in the second tier. As you can see, Wolves are level on points with three other teams - Derby County, Watford and Norwich City - at the summit and will go top if they avoid defeat today. Of course, that could all change after the later games.
Wolves were third, but they were overtaken by Norwich who edged out Bolton Wanderers in last night's game at Carrow Road. Our match report for that is here.
Birmingham, meanwhile, come into this game second-bottom in the table. One thing Rowett can be almost certain of is that he will improve on the previous performance. His predecessor Lee Clark had already been sacked when the Blues fell to an 8-0 defeat at home to Bournemouth.
The Blues are on a run of three straight defeats and haven't scored a goal in any of those games. Goals have been a real problem and a lot of the pressure will be on Clayton Donaldson to find the net.
PREDICTION! Ten minutes until kickoff, so it's time for my pre-match prediction. As you'll see in the video below, I reckon that there will be goals today and am backing Wolves to come out on top 3-2.
Wolves have confirmed on their Twitter page that Dicko is missing today because of a "tight hamstring". Scott Golbourne is also out with a foot injury.
REFEREE WATCH! We have a Premier League regular, Anthony Taylor, taking charge of this game today. Last week he followed up a trip to Inter Milan in the Europa League by overseeing Spurs-Newcastle. Molineux today, not quite so glamorous.
© Getty Images
© Getty Images
Wolves boss Kenny Jackett tells Sky Sports News that it will be "interesting" for McAlinden today. The striker was recalled from his loan at Fleetwood Town earlier this week and goes straight into the team.
The two sides are out on the pitch now. We will have a minute's silence for remembrance day as this is Wolves' last home game before then. This year is of course the 100th since the Great War started.
The min's silence was interrupted by a few shouts from the Blues section which led to booing from the South Bank. Otherwise well observed.
— Tim Nash (@TimNash_star) November 1, 2014
KICKOFF! Wolves get us underway at a bright Molineux.
Wolves have seen most of the ball early on and Jacobs almost worked an opportunity to get off a shot but was well tackled by Caddis in the area.
SAVE! Wolves continue to come forward and Clarke's looping header has to be tipped over the bar by Randolph. Moments earlier Rowe made an excellent burst into the area, but his cutback was intercepted by Robinson.
Birmingham have done virtually nothing in the Wolves half so far. Rowett certainly won't be too pleased how little of the ball they've seen so far.
Taylor penalises Clarke for an elbow on Gleeson and he can count himself quite lucky not to have been booked there.
CHANCE! McAlinden has tons of space to run into and collect a hopeful ball over the top. Morrison is back with him and does enough to force him wide. McAlinden still gets a shot off, but it's a fairly comfortable save for Randolph.
Wolves keeper Ikeme makes a mess of a clearance and is lucky to see the ball end up at the feet of a teammate and not a blue shirt as he was well out of position.
Cotterill does really well out on the left to swing in a good cross under the pressure of two Wolves players. Birmingham have numbers forward as well, but Shinnie can't direct his header on target.
Wolves had 70% possession in the opening quarter of an hour, also getting all three of their shots on target. None were difficult saves for Randolph, though.
Ebanks-Landell must be hallucinating a bit because he's just sent a pass over the top to absolutely no-one. Sums up the last few minutes, which have been very quiet.
Well, my prediction that there would be goals today doesn't look like it's going to come to fruition at the moment. Wolves have had a couple of half-chances, but it's been a really slow start to the match.
McDonald carelessly gives the ball away to Arthur and Rowe then brings the Wolves winger down to give the visitors a free kick in a great position...
SIDE-NETTING! Arthur slams the ball into the near side-netting after Cotterill's free kick was flicked to the back post by a Wolves defender. Not sure if that was a shot or a cross, but he got it wrong whatever it was.
CHANCE! Best chance of the match falls to Donaldson as he runs onto Davis's pass and fires it goalwards. The ball flies past Ikeme and you're waiting for the net to bulge, but it also goes past the post. They're the sort of chances that the lowly Blues have to take.
Birmingham have enjoyed a good last 10 minutes and have another effort on goal as a free kick is cleared as far as Davis, whose first-time shot isn't well struck and easy for Ikeme.
By the way, if you want to follow the lunchtime kickoff in the Premier League between Newcastle and Liverpool, which has just kicked off, open this link in a new tab. Lovely jubbly.
CHANCE! Doherty's clearance is inadvertently perfect for Clarke who bears down on the Blues defence. He has Henry in plenty of space to his right, but instead of passing cuts onto his left foot before his shot is blocked. Poor decision by the Wolves forward.
Superb cross into the middle by Grounds and although Donaldson is well placed, he is crowded out and can't meet it effectively.
BOOKING! The first yellow card of the game is shown to Birmingham's Davis after a succession of fouls.
With five minutes until the break, Rowett will be watching from the sideline and must be delighted with the way his players have battled in the last 25 minutes or so. They were under the cosh a little at the start, but since then have arguably been the better side. They now have to make sure that they don't do anything silly before the interval.
Rowe's deep cross is a good one from the left and Grounds does the safest thing by heading it out for a corner.
Batth is picked out at the back post and he heads the ball back into the six-yard box where a Birmingham foot swipes it away from danger.
There's been barely any stoppages so it'll just be one minute of added time.
HALF-TIME: WOLVES 0-0 BIRMINGHAM
A bit of a nothing half there then. Wolves got off to a hot start, but Birmingham have grown and grown into the game and had the best chance.
It fell to Donaldson and although he struck it well and beat Ikeme's attempted save, the ball also beat the near post and flew wide.
Half-time at Molineux. Wolves 0 Blues 0. Little to separate the West Midlands neighbours so far. #bluesLIVE pic.twitter.com/niw47FQOyF — Birmingham City FC (@bcfc) November 1, 2014
Looking at the two subs' benches, you'd have to say that Wolves have the stronger options that can come on. Top scorer Sako is sure to come on if Wolves don't break through soon and they also have Hull City loanee Yannick Sagbo available.
Wes Thomas is probably Birmingham's best attacking option, but I reckon Rowett will only bring him on and change formation if his side fall behind.
I've probably been most impressed with young Birmingham winger Arthur so far. He's looked bright on the ball and has caused Wolves the odd problem going forward. Blues debutant Morrison has also had a solid debut at the back.
Missing Wolves striker Nouha Dicko has been speaking to Sky Sports News during the interval and he reveals that his hamstring injury isn't too bad, but will probably see him miss Tuesday night's trip to Ipswich Town.
KICKOFF! Birmingham get the second half underway. No changes from either manager at the interval.
Half-hearted appeals for a penalty by the Birmingham players as Shinnie goes down in the area. It was a fair tackle by Ebanks-Landell and Taylor rightly waved away the appeals.
Wolves have started the second half just like they did the first - with plenty of the ball. It's all very controlled, but they're struggling to penetrate in the final third.
In all honesty, it's been a second half of poor quality from both sides. Wolves are neat enough on the ball, but seem to have no idea what to do when they approach the Birmingham area. As for the visitors, they struggle to keep the ball for more than three or four passes when they gain possession.
CLOSE! Wolves have space in the final third for the first time. Henry's initial cross is blocked by the arm of Grounds, but Taylor and his linesman decide against giving a penalty. You could easily see that being given. Henry picks up the loose ball and his cross-cum-shot is palmed away from danger by Randolph.
WOLVES SUBS: Jackett makes a double-change, taking off Jacobs and McAlinden for Sako and Edwards.
Excellent goalkeeping by Randolph as he clutches Doherty's low cross to his belly. Clarke was right there and waiting to pounce on any kind of mistake by the Blues' keeper.
SAVE! Superb stop by Ikeme to deny Grounds a goal from a corner. The ball dropped Robinson's way and you're expecting him to poke home, but a Wolves boot arrives just in time to clear the danger.
BIRMINGHAM SUB: Arthur, who was bright in the first half, has quietened down and is now taken off for Brek Shea.
That change was made just after Wolves won a free kick on the right wing. Sako's delivery into the middle is cleared only as far as McDonald, whose low drive is well-hit but always curling wide.
BIRMINGHAM SUB: Another change by the Blues as Shinnie is replaced by Callum Reilly.
SAVE! Brilliant reactions by Randolph as he manages to tip over Edwards's header from close range after spilling Sako's fierce cross from the left straight to the other Wolves substitute.
With about a quarter of the game to go at Molineux, Wolves do look the more likely side to break the deadlock. Birmingham's best hopes of causing a shock will probably come from a set piece.
Henry's near-post cross is flicked goalwards by Clarke, but he can't keep his header down under pressure from Morrison.
OFF THE BAR! Edwards with an inventive chip that flicks off the top of the crossbar. It was neat hold-up play from Clarke before he fed the substitute, whose cheeky effort might have gone in had he directed it more towards the far post.
And a battle of Wolves midfield present and past with Kevin McDonald and David Davis. pic.twitter.com/qDdKeu3vd8 — Wolves (@OfficialWolves) November 1, 2014
This afternoon's attendance at Molineux is 25,135 - the biggest gate of the season.
CLOSE! Sako's wizardry on the wing is evident as he breezes by Caddis before firing a cross-shot that flies just wide of the far post and Clarke's attempt to nudge it home at the back stick.
BOOKING! Clarke has been shown a yellow card, but I'm quite sure what for. I'm guessing he said something out of turn to referee Taylor.
BIRMINGHAM SUB: Rowett changes his striker, replacing Donaldson with Thomas.
WOLVES SUB: Moments after Davis dreadfully skies a half-chance for Birmingham, Wolves make their final change, also in attack, with Yannick Sagbo on for Clarke.
Wolves have plenty forward as Sagbo lays it off for McDonald, who should probably look for a teammate but instead shoots over the top.
Henry with an inviting cross into the box that is met at the same time by Edwards and Morrison. Birmingham get the goal kick and the benefit of the doubt, much to Edwards's bemusement.
A free kick in a great area for Birmingham is struck goalwards by Cotterill. It's way too close to Ikeme, though, and the Wolves keeper makes a comfortable save.
BOOKING! A striker's challenge by Thomas and that earns him a yellow card. A bit harsh, but it was a nasty slide.
Into the last five minutes of normal time then. Birmingham have silenced Wolves a little in the last five minutes or so and it's really hard to pick a winner. To be honest, a 0-0 draw would be about right. So much for my 3-2 prediction!
CHANCE! That's as close as Wolves have come. Henry, who is my man of the match, almost nets the winner by firing towards the far corner. Randolph sticks out a leg to keep it out, but he can only divert it as far as Sako at the back post. It's a high bouncing ball and a tough chance that the hosts' top scorer can only blaze over.
THREE minutes are added on at Molineux. Can Birmingham hang on for an impressive point?
We're into the final minute now but we could play another couple because of an injury just suffered by Henry.
BOOKING! Wolves go close again as Sako's shot is blocked. Taylor retrospectively books Caddis for an earlier pull on the Wolves winger.
FULL-TIME: WOLVES 0-0 BIRMINGHAM
That could be a huge result for Birmingham. After being on the end of an 8-0 thrashing last week, the Blues end a run of three straight defeats by holding Wolves at Molineux.
Wolves will be disappointed to have not beaten lowly opposition, but a point is enough to put Jackett's side clear at the top of the table.
Come 7pm after Bournemouth's evening kickoff with Brighton & Hove Albion, Wolves could be down in fifth place if Derby, Watford, Bournemouth and Middlesbrough all win today.
A point is enough for Birmingham to rise one place to 22nd. They'll definitely stay there, too, as Bolton played and were beaten last night by Norwich. As things stand, the Blues are just one point from safety.
Anyway, time for us to say goodbye. Thanks for joining SM. Why not now click here to go to our live scores hub and pick a commentary for this afternoon. Enjoy!
Written by
Pascal Lemesre
Pascal Lemesre
