Mark Venus hopes Birmingham’s 1-1 draw at play-off-chasing Hull can act as “a springboard” in their battle against relegation.

Substitute Lukas Jutkiewicz’s late header cancelled out Ozan Tufan’s first-half goal to move Blues one point clear of the Sky Bet Championship drop zone.

Venus, still assisting for the unwell Tony Mowbray, said: “Hull are a very good team and they are, of course, not in the top six after 35 games for no good reason.

“But we stuck at it and kept going, which was great to see.

“They obviously had a lot of possession, which we expected, but we also caused them a few problems and I felt we deserved a point in the end.

“This now has to be a springboard for the rest of the season.”

Birmingham looked in big trouble when Tufan scored at the back post on 25 minutes after Fabio Carvalho’s corner was flicked on by Jacob Greaves.

Tufan’s final touch appeared to come off his left hand but the goal was given.

The Turkey international nearly doubled Hull’s lead after 40 minutes when his strike from distance was expertly pawed on to the left post by John Ruddy.

The hosts dominated for most of the second half, but they were obsessed by trying to score a perfect second goal when a more direct approach could have put the game out of sight.

And they were punished after 82 minutes when substitute Alex Pritchard sent over a lovely cross that was powerfully headed home by Jutkiewicz.

Venus said: “It (Tuzan’s goal) looks handball to me, but maybe the officials were not in a position to give it.

“I just feel, at the moment, that things are going a little bit against us in terms of decisions, but hopefully we can get a few more in our favour going forwards for the rest of the season.

“We’ve had some really tough fixtures that have stretched us to the limit so to come here and get something, in a game that teams in Hull’s position usually win, was great.

“We have to build on this now and move forwards, but we need everybody with us as we’ve got a big task ahead.”

Hull are unbeaten in six and remain in the play-offs, but head coach Liam Rosenior was unhappy that his players could not convert their superiority into more goals.

He said: “Some of the control, some of the areas we get into and the dominance – and we come away with a point? I’m very angry and frustrated.

“I keep saying the same things, but this has to be the last time I say them.

“We have to be more ruthless and we have to take advantage of our dominance.

“They didn’t have a sniff and we’ve just thrown away another two points – when Jutkiewicz came on we should have been 3-0 up.

The reason we play this way is to score, dominate and take the game away from the opposition – we have to grow up and understand where we are.”

Rosenior added: “The one-touch stuff is great but we’re here to score goals.

“This is on me – I’d never criticise individuals –but for us to get to where we want to be we have to all take responsibility.

“I’d say 95 per cent of our performance was magnificent but we didn’t finish it off and that’s the bit that makes the different in football.

“I love this group, but time is going to pass us by if we don’t learn lessons.

“Everyone can see the potential of this team, but we have turn the potential into reality.”

Birmingham secured an important point in their battle against relegation with a hard-earned 1-1 draw at play-off contenders Hull.

Ozan Tufan looked to have consigned Blues to a 13th away defeat when he headed home in the first half.

But Hull, still in the Sky Bet Championship play-offs and now unbeaten in six, were sloppy in front of goal and could not score the second which their dominance arguably warranted.

They were punished after 82 minutes through Lukas Jutkiewicz’s firm header which moved Birmingham, still without unwell manager Tony Mowbray, a point above the drop zone.

With the visitors clearly short of confidence – only Rotherham have a weaker Championship away record – Liam Rosenior’s men were, unsurprisingly, keen to seize control early on.

Fabio Carvalho’s smart hit was sharply deflected for a corner by Emanuel Aiwu, after which Jean Michael Seri warmed John Ruddy’s palms from distance on seven minutes.

But just when it felt like Hull would kick on, Birmingham came desperately close to opening the scoring just 60 seconds later.

Junior Bacuna too easily beat Ryan Giles on the right before crossing hard and low towards the near post.

Hull centre-back Jacob Greaves looked to have snubbed out the threat, but his sliding defensive block skewed inches wide of the right post.

The hosts were fleetingly knocked off their stride following that let-off, but they always looked a threat in possession and gradually retained a strong foothold into the game.

Mark Venus, however, will still have been most disappointed by the manner in which Blues conceded after 25 minutes.

Abdulkadir Omur’s fierce corner was flicked on by Greaves towards the far post, but Tufan was still given too much space to head home.

Turkey international Tufan came close to adding a second after 40 minutes when he let rip from the edge of penalty area following good work from Jaden Philogene.

The ball bounced awkwardly but Ruddy did brilliantly to palm the ball onto the base of the left post, with Carvalho a stud’s length away from scoring on the follow-up.

Hull largely bossed proceedings after the restart, but they were often guilty of overcomplicated build-up play when a direct approach would have been more beneficial.

No better was this illustrated than after 73 minutes when Philogene cashed in on a defensive mix-up but tried to score the perfect goal when a simple strike would have had Ruddy in big trouble.

But with Hull goalkeeper Ryan Allsop a virtual bystander, few inside the MKM Stadium would have bet against a home win.

That was until substitute Alex Pritchard whipped over a teasing cross from the right, with Jutkiewicz heading home from close range to earn Birmingham what could prove to be a huge point.

John Eustace was keeping both feet firmly on the ground after goals from substitutes Koji Miyoshi and Lukas Jutkiewicz maintained Birmingham’s impressive start to the Championship campaign.

Miyoshi, a 40th-minute replacement for the injured Ethan Laird, volleyed his first Blues goal in spectacular fashion deep into first-half stoppage time.

And Jutkiewicz settled the outcome six minutes from time with a close-range finish, shortly after being sent on for Keshi Anderson.

Blues boss Eustace said: “It was an outstanding effort by the whole group, but it’s important not to get carried away because this team has still got to grow together.

“Koji Miyoshi came off the bench against Leeds and was really exciting. Today again he showed what an important player he is going be for us.

“He was out for nine months before joining us, so we have to be careful how we manage him. But his talent is there for all to see and he will get better with games.

“We had a few injuries that could have hurt us. Ethan Laird and Siriki Dembele picked up muscle strains, which might have been disruptive.

“But we adapted really well. Juninho Bacuna moved to right-back and looked as if he had played there all his life.

“We set out to be strong and competitive in all areas of the pitch and that was the case throughout the game.

“We paid Bristol respect because Nigel Pearson has been with them for a while now and is building something.

“They are a good side whose strengths we had to counter and to a man the players did their jobs.

“Last season we were beaten here. But this is a new group of players with a new mentality.

“Obviously, the season has started well for us. But we will stay level-headed and keep working hard because the Championship is so competitive that you have to turn up every week.”

The Robins had centre-back Rob Dickie sent off for a second yellow card on 75 minutes and could have no complaints, even though Nahki Wells missed a great chance to level on 82 minutes just before Jutkiewicz’s clincher.

Manager Pearson admitted: “It was a bad day at the office for us. We didn’t play very well.

“We were laboured in our passing and made too many unforced errors, with things like the ball slipping under players’ feet.

“We should have been level at the break but went in a goal down because an individual switched off and didn’t do his job at a set-piece.

“I still believe we are better than we were last season and will do well. We were on the front foot even with 10 men towards the end and missed a great chance to equalise.

“But we didn’t manage the key moments well. You have to take your chances when they come along in the Championship and not concede poor goals because the difference between winning and losing in so many games is very small.

“We are looking at the possibility of doing some business before the transfer deadline, but it will have to be right for the club and in line with what we are building.

“I didn’t go overboard when we won away last week and it’s certainly not all doom and gloom today.”

Goals from substitutes Koji Miyoshi and Lukas Jutkiewicz gave Birmingham a 2-0 Championship away win against a Bristol City side who finished with 10 men.

The visitors took the lead in first-half stoppage time when Keshi Anderson’s corner was not cleared and Miyoshi, just introduced for the injured Ethan Laird, found the roof of the net with a sweet right-footed volley.

The home side’s task became more difficult when centre-back Rob Dickie was shown a second yellow card on 75 minutes for blocking a run by substitute Jordan James, having already been booked for dissent in the first half.

And any hope the home side had of a recovery was snuffed out six minutes from time when Jutkiewicz, introduced on 73 minutes as a replacement for Anderson, converted a low right-wing cross from close range.

Birmingham were good value for a win that maintained their promising start to the season, while inflicting a first defeat on their hosts.

Robins boss Nigel Pearson gave a first start of the season to winger Anis Mehmeti, while Birmingham were unchanged from their 1-0 home victory over Leeds.

Blues made a bright start and their first attack saw Scott Hogan head over from Juninho Bacuna’s left-wing cross.

Defences dominated for much of the first half and chances were at a premium. Siriki Dembele fired over from distance for Birmingham on 21 minutes.

Four minutes later the hosts’ first meaningful goal attempt saw Sam Bell’s shot blocked. Dickie headed over from the resulting corner.

Birmingham looked more dangerous and Max O’Leary had to save a Bacuna shot on 35 minutes. Then came the injury to Laird that saw Miyoshi sent on as a 40th-minute replacement.

The Japanese substitute made an immediate impact, forcing a good save from O’Leary before breaking the deadlock deep into three minutes of injury time.

Both managers made changes at the break, Pearson sending on Haydon Roberts and Mark Sykes for Cameron Pring and Harry Cornick while Blues boss John Eustace introduced James for Dembele.

Bristol City began the second half on the front foot, Zak Vyner failing to make contact with a Mehmeti corner and a Sykes run halted by a foul that earned Lee Buchanan a booking.

But Birmingham soon responded and Bacuna grazed a post with a left-footed shot before Miyoshi sent another effort wide.

Both sides were fully committed but still it was Blues creating more openings as a James shot brought a diving O’Leary save.

Dickie’s dismissal only seemed to fire up the home side and substitute Nahki Wells should have equalised on 82 minutes when shooting wide from Bell’s low cross.

It proved an expensive miss as Jutkiewicz quickly settled the outcome.

Lukas Jutkiewicz smashed home a stoppage-time winner against Leeds as Birmingham celebrated the life of Trevor Francis and the start a new era in front of NFL great Tom Brady.

There has been precious little to cheer about since the Blues’ relegation from the top flight 12 years ago, but the recent takeover led by American businessman Tom Wagner has finally brought hope back to the club.

Brady went onto join as minority owner nine days ago and the former quarterback made his first trip to a rocking St Andrew’s on Saturday as Birmingham secured a 1-0 win.

Substitute Jutkiewicz fired home from the penalty spot at the death in a dramatic end to a drab encounter on an emotional day in the second city.

Birmingham paid a touching tribute to their greatest ever player before-kick-off, with Jasper Carrott leading the tributes to Francis following his death last month.

The comedian said Francis was “a hero, a role model and a symbol of a time when there was real hope in this stadium” – a feeling of hope he felt was now back at St Andrew’s.

The positive feeling around the club brought the biggest crowd since February 2020 but the occasion did not live up to the hype in a poor first half devoid of opportunities.

Both sides improved after the break and pushed hard for a late winner, which went Birmingham’s way after Daniel James brought down Ethan Laird in the box.

Illan Meslier got a foot on Jutkiewicz’s thumping penalty but could not stop it finding the back of the net as seven-time Super Bowl champion Brady celebrated a successful first visit.

The performance, as much as a result, will alarm Daniel Farke’s Leeds – who were without wantaway Willy Gnonto and fellow forward Luis Sinisterra at St Andrew’s.

Neither team did anything of note in a first half that appeared to be impacted by the emotional start to proceedings.

The fact there was only one minute of added time at the end of the opening period highlighted just how uneventful it had been.

The second half began in brighter fashion and City’s Keshi Anderson met a Siriki Dembele cutback with a shot that deflected narrowly wide.

Leeds responded with a James cross-shot that forced John Ruddy into action, before Georginio Rutter saw a fierce drive blocked by Krystian Bielik moments after coming on.

John Eustace’s hosts had a huge chance in the 80th minute but Kevin Long powered a free header from six yards just off target.

Bacuna saw a driven effort held before Birmingham hearts were in mouths as Sam Byram glanced an effort across the face of goal in front of the 2,213 away fans.

But City were pushing hardest for the win and were gifted a chance by James’ late error.

The former Manchester United flyer brought down Laird as he attempted to stop the lively right-back meeting a diagonal ball, with referee Tim Robinson pointing to the spot.

Newly-introduced Jutkiewicz leathered home the penalty and chants of “USA, USA, USA” filled the air as Birmingham saw out victory.