Keshi Anderson sets Birmingham City a target that will blow Wolves and Reading out of the water
Latest Birmingham City news from BirminghamLive as goal hero takes aim on Wolves and Reading record points hauls
Birmingham City goal hero Keshi Anderson has set his team-mates the toughest of tasks after victory at Bristol Rovers.
He is urging them to win every game between now and the end of the season, a potential haul of 24 points that would see Blues smash Wolves’ 2013/24 League One record of 103 by 10.
It would also be enough to see them beat Reading's overall EFL points record of 106, set in 2005/06 as the Championship Royals won promotion to the Premier League.
Anderson had top-scorer Jay Stansfield’s 85th-minute penalty to thank for a club-record 37th victory of the season after the visitors were pushed all the way by lowly Rovers.
Anderson’s third-minute strike had put the visitors ahead, but Rovers hit back through Gatlin O’Donko - only to be left heartbroken when Stansfield slotted home after Taylor Moore handled.
The win saw Blues increase their lead at the top of League One to 11 points after promotion rivals Wrexham and Wycombe were both held on the night - meaning the leaders need just eight points to guarantee their return to the Championship.
But that is not good enough for Anderson, who later admitted that his goal was the result of productive work on the training pitch.
Told what Blues now needed to seal promotion, a bullish Anderson declared on live TV: “We've got eight games to play, so we'll be pushing for 24 points.”
Anderson admitted that the hosts had given Blues a tough game, adding: “It was a very different game to the one at home a few months ago (a 2-0 success in mid-December).
“They’ve got a different manager and a different style of play and whatnot, and they gave us a very tough game.
“Bristol Rovers away, it's never going to be easy, but we dug in deep and Jay got the second goal from the penalty spot. He won it himself as well, so happy days.”
Discussing his goal, Anderson said: “Yesterday I was practising getting the ball then cutting in and whipping it in, so it paid off from training and working on it.”
Blues are next in action on Saturday when they will put Anderson's aim to the test with a home game against mid-table Barnsley (3pm kick-off).
Then follow games against Peterborough (a), Crawley Town (h), Burton Albion (a), Stevenage (a), Mansfield Town (h), Blackpool (a) and Cambridge United (a).