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Birmingham striker Nikola Zigic fails to fire but earns Lee Clark's respect
MANAGER Lee Clark refused to blame Nikola Zigic despite the Birmingham striker failing to ease his side’s relegation battle.
Zigic was axed from Saturday’s squad to face Watford after being slammed for his attitude to training. But after spurning several chances on his return last night, one from just four yards out, Clark insisted: “I thought his response was fantastic.
“The incident is gone now and I never blame strikers for missing chances.
“He has shown me by his performance he is not just big in size, but he is a big man as well in the way he has taken it on board.”
He has shown me by his performance he is not just big in size, but he is a big man as well in the way he has taken it on board
Zigic had a golden chance on the half-hour mark when he rose the highest, only to fail to divert Wade Elliott’s inviting free-kick goalwards. Blues had a penalty appeal waved away after the break when Chris Burke tumbled inside the penalty box.
But Jones’ side almost snatched the lead when £8 million loan star Connor Wickham, making his full debut, shot just wide on the turn.
Zigic was guilty of another glaring miss after 68 minutes when, unmarked just four yards out, he failed to latch on to Burke’s cross-shot that dropped to him.
Then he headed wide from Jonathan Spector’s cross soon afterwards on a frustrating evening for Clark’s side.