Birmingham City won their fourth successive West Midlands derby against West Bromwich Albion as they came from behind to beat the Baggies in controversial circumstances.
After Albion led 1-0 with an early 20-yard opener from John Swift, the game hinged on a 23rd-minute Blues penalty.
Albion defender Cedric Kipre was adjudged to have brought down Koji Myoshi when the Japanese appeared to slip – and Juninho Bacuna scored the resulting spot kick.
Former Wolves defender Dion Sanderson then headed a second on 38 minutes to complete the first-half turnaround.
Substitute Gary Gardner curled in a superb third from a free-kick to seal the points on 87 minutes, just five minutes after coming on.
Blues’ second home win in four nights, after Tuesday’s 4-1 thrashing of Huddersfield Town, sent John Eustace’s side climbing above Albion to fifth in the Championship table.
More to follow.
Line-ups
Birmingham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 21Ruddy
- 12Drameh
- 5Sanderson
- 26Long
- 23LongeloBooked at 90mins
- 6BielikBooked at 25mins
- 34Sunjic
- 7BacunaSubstituted forGardnerat 82′minutes
- 11MiyoshiSubstituted forBurkeat 69′minutes
- 17DembéléSubstituted forJutkiewiczat 72′minutes
- 28StansfieldSubstituted forHoganat 82′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Etheridge
- 4Roberts
- 9Hogan
- 10Jutkiewicz
- 19James
- 20Gardner
- 27Khela
- 44Aiwu
- 45Burke
West Brom
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 24Palmer
- 4KipréBooked at 86mins
- 5Bartley
- 15PietersSubstituted forTownsendat 45′minutes
- 2FurlongSubstituted forÁvila Gordónat 81′minutes
- 35YokusluSubstituted forChalobahat 65′minutes
- 27Mowatt
- 10Phillips
- 11Diangana
- 19SwiftSubstituted forFellowsat 73′minutes
- 7J WallaceSubstituted forThomas-Asanteat 65′minutes
Substitutes
- 3Townsend
- 6Ajayi
- 8Molumby
- 14Chalobah
- 21Thomas-Asante
- 26Ávila Gordón
- 31Fellows
- 33Griffiths
- 36Taylor
Live Text
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Match ends, Birmingham City 3, West Bromwich Albion 1.
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Second Half ends, Birmingham City 3, West Bromwich Albion 1.
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Alex Mowatt (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Emmanuel Longelo (Birmingham City).
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Cédric Kipré (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Cody Drameh (Birmingham City).
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Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Scott Hogan.
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Emmanuel Longelo (Birmingham City) is shown the yellow card.
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Nathaniel Chalobah (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Emmanuel Longelo (Birmingham City).
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Nathaniel Chalobah (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Scott Hogan (Birmingham City).
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Attempt missed. Nathaniel Chalobah (West Bromwich Albion) header from the centre of the box misses to the right.
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Attempt blocked. Matt Phillips (West Bromwich Albion) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Conor Townsend.
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Tom Fellows (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Scott Hogan (Birmingham City).
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Goal! Birmingham City 3, West Bromwich Albion 1. Gary Gardner (Birmingham City) from a free kick with a right footed shot to the top left corner.
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Cédric Kipré (West Bromwich Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Cédric Kipré (West Bromwich Albion).
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Scott Hogan (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
