Birmingham 2-1 Blackburn
Birmingham won their fifth game in a row at St. Andrews
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Tuesday, 15, Dec 2009 08:56
By Matt Hallam.
Cameron Jerome scored twice as Birmingham secured a record fifth successive win in the Premier League.
The victory over Blackburn at St. Andrews sees Alex McLeish's side move up to sixth in the league for at least 24 hours before Manchester City play Tottenham on Wednesday evening.
Jerome put Birmingham ahead in the eleventh minute as he flicked Christian Benitez's header in from close range and added his second after half-time with a cool finish from Stephen Carr's low cross.
Blackburn ensured a nervous finish though when Ryan Nelson pulled a goal back with 20 minutes remaining. Nikola Kalinic went close in stoppage time with a header that was cleared off the line but Birmingham held on to increase their unbeaten run to eight games.
The game got off to a frenetic start with both teams launching long balls forward. Blackburn's Kalinic was the first to profit as he struck a vicious volley over Joe Hart's bar after Steven N'zonzi nodded the ball down on the edge of the box.
Birmingham took the lead after 10 minutes though when Blackburn failed to react to a short corner. Sebastian Larsson was given time to pick out Benitez at the back post whose header was flicked past Paul Robinson by Jerome from two yards out.
Benitez thought he had doubled his sides lead soon after when he tapped in Carr's cross from the right, however, his effort was ruled out for offside before Jerome headed wide after determined play from Liam Ridgewell on the left.
Blackburn struggled to get into the game with McLeish's men working tirelessly to regain possession whilst looking dangerous on the break with the pace of Benitez and Jerome.
The visitors began to work themselves into good crossing positions after the half hour, however, deliveries from El Hadji Diouf and Mortem Gamst Pedersen were not good enough to trouble Roger Johnson and Scott Dann at the centre of Birmingham's defence.
Kalinic had an excellent chance to equalise before half time though when N'Zonzi's looping pass caught Birmingham's back line out of position. The Croatian striker failed to connect with the ball from five yards out though and the ball trickled out harmlessly for a goal kick.
Blackburn had finished the first-half the stronger side, but found themselves 2-0 down immediately after the break when Carr burst into the box and picked out Jerome to slot his second goal of the night past Robinson.
They pulled a goal back with 20 minutes to go though when Nelsen tapped the ball in after Hart had made a fingertip save to deny Pascal Chimbonda from Pedersen's free kick.
Birmingham looked rattled after conceding with Johnson making a vital interception in his own penalty area to clear Pedersen's downward header and deny Kalinic who was waiting to pounce on the loose ball in front of Hart.
Blackburn continued to flood forward in search of an equaliser and were caught on the break as the final whistle approached. Benitez released Jerome who saw his shot saved by Robinson with the chance of a hat-trick.
Jerome picked up the rebound though and found Benitez in the box, however the Ecuadorian slammed his shot against the bar with the goal at his mercy.
Kalinic came close in stoppage time for Blackburn with a header at the front post. His effort beat Hart but was cleared off the line before Robinson denied Larsson at the other end after another quick break by Birmingham in the dying seconds.