Birmingham 2 - 1 Blackburn
| By Phil McNulty Chief football writer at St Andrews |
Birmingham City's impressive Premier League campaign hit new heights as they moved into sixth place with a deserved win over Blackburn Rovers at St Andrews.
Cameron Jerome was the spearhead with a scrambled early strike and a resounding low finish just after the interval to give Birmingham their fifth successive league victory.
Ryan Nelsen's 69th-minute goal gave Blackburn hope - and that was extended by Chucho Benitez's incredible miss from six yards in the closing minutes that increased the tension around St Andrews after Birmingham looked to be cruising to victory.
Birmingham's winning run is a club record in the Premier League and well-merited reward for manager Alex McLeish's shrewd work in the summer transfer market that has set the perfect platform for the rest of the season.
Jerome has been short of goals since Birmingham's return to the top flight, but McLeish has kept faith with the England Under-21 striker and used his programme notes to insist it was only a matter of time before he was on the mark.
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And so it proved as Birmingham dealt comfortably with a Blackburn side that offered the occasional heavy physical presence until Nelsen's goal provoked a more positive approach.
For much of the game they offered little to warm the 689 visiting fans who travelled to St Andrews and suffered in the biting cold until they threatened to cash in on some Birmingham nerves late on.
Birmingham, in contrast to Sam Allardyce's lacklustre players, were sharp about their work from the start with Jerome and Benitez providing the pace to go alongside the promptings of Barry Ferguson and Lee Bowyer.
Birmingham boss McLeish had no hesitation in naming an unchanged team after four straight wins, and three successive clean sheets, had propelled his side up the league table.
And they opened with a confidence gathered from that recent impressive sequence and took the lead after 12 minutes. James McFadden worked a short corner with Sebastian Larsson, and when his cross came to Jerome via Benitez and Liam Ridgewell, he turned home his second league goal of the season from close range.
Blackburn's unease was compounded by an early change as Brett Emerton limped off, to be replaced by Keith Andrews.
And Birmingham almost took further advantage as Benitez had a strike ruled out for offside and Jerome headed just wide with Blackburn keeper Paul Robinson rooted to the spot.
Blackburn's approach was basic at best, but it almost brought them an equaliser when Joe Hart failed to deal with a ball into the area, but Stephen Carr was well placed to scramble Steven Nzonzi's effort off the line.
Birmingham needed the security of a second goal to underpin their supremacy, and Jerome provided it by finishing off a sparkling passage of play three minutes after the interval.
Larsson's flick released Carr, and his cross was met crisply by Jerome, who gave Robinson no chance with a low finish. Jerome was then booked for over-celebrating by referee Michael Jones, a joyless intervention by the official which actually did little to dampen Birmingham's elation.
McLeish proud of his players
Blackburn had barely offered any sort of threat, but they gave themselves an opportunity to salvage something from an undistinguished display when they pulled a goal back with just over 20 minutes remaining.
Hart did well to save Pascal Chimbonda's header, but the loose ball fell kindly for Nelsen to score and set up the prospect of a tense finale.
As Blackburn predictably pressed for an equaliser, Benitez suffered a nightmare moment as Birmingham swept forward on the counter attack.
He did everything right to set up Jerome for the chance of his hat-trick - but when the striker crossed for Benitez after his effort had been saved by Robinson, he somehow slammed a shot against the bar from only six yards with the goal unattended.
His nearly paid a heavy price for his profligacy when the otherwise quiet Nikola Kalinic glanced a header goalwards, only to see it strike the unsuspecting Larsson on the side of his head and fly away from danger.
Benitez was the Blues' provider again deep into stoppage time with Blackburn exposed again, but this time Robinson blocked from Larsson.
The squandered opportunities did not prove costly for Birmingham and they claimed the three points that moves them into Premier League's dreamland, given the pre-season predictions that they would face a lengthy fight for survival.
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish:
"I'm so proud of the players - to win five games in a row in this league is absolutely sensational. These guys have been magnificent.
"I did a double take when I saw the league but we're proud of it and we've earned it. We haven't been lucky.
"We must keep our feet on the ground, there can be hiccups round the corner."
Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce:
"We need to stick to basics because for their first goal three Birmingham players were unmarked.
"We had been comfortable, but that lifted them. Then we go 2-0 down after half-time and that was just suicidal.
"Our fightback was great and we nearly got something, but we are missing the chances we create and we shouldn't be 2-0 down before we start playing."