Birmingham City 2 - 1 Sunderland: Brum Get The Better Of Black Cats

Birmingham City secured only their third win of the season as they beat Sunderland 2-1 at Saint Andrews.

Goals either side of half time from Liam Ridgewell and James McFadden saw the home side through to victory.

A Scott Dann own goal set up a nail-biting finish to the game, during which Darren Bent hit the post, but Birmingham were able to hold on.

It was Black Cats’ boss Steve Bruce’s first visit to Saint Andrews since his controversy-shrouded departure from the club in 2007, but the former Wigan Athletic manager was well received by all corners of the stadium before the game.

James McFadden had the best chance of an otherwise fairly leisurely opening 15 minutes, as he received the ball from fellow Scot Barry Ferguson, exchanged passes with Christian Benitez and produced a shot that was comfortable for Craig Gordon to deal with in the Sunderland goal.

The hosts were certainly providing the majority of the entertainment, without troubling Gordon, first through Benitez, who showed tidy feet to get away from Andy Turner before blasting over the crossbar from inside the penalty area, while Sebastian Larsson could do no better shortly after as he fired wide.

Larsson turned provider from the corner flag after McFadden had been blocked by Phillip Bardsley, but Roger Johnson, who rose highest to meet the cross, could not force Gordon into a save.

Sunderland offered little to threaten the home side meanwhile, relying heavily on Andy Reid’s delivery from the left wing to craft chances, though the Birmingham back line was rarely called into action, Roger Johnson’s yellow card for a bad foul on the midfielder one of the more notable incidents.

With Birmingham looking on top ten minutes from half time but being kept at bay, Bardsley gave away a soft free kick for a foul on McFadden, which Ridgewell converted in unspectacular fashion from close range for a rare goal.

There were shades of offside about the defender’s positioning as Larsson’s set piece bounced in the six yard box, but poor rearguard action allowed him to turn the ball home with his body at an ideal time for Alex McLeish’s men.

Sunderland managed to muster a couple of half chances before referee Martin Atkinson blew for half time, with McFadden denying Steed Malbranque the opportunity to meet another Reid cross, who also provided for Darren Bent in added time, but the striker could not connect meaningfully enough.

It took Birmingham less than three minutes of the second half to extend their lead as McFadden, who had been at the center of the hosts' most productive attacking football, found the net with a well-worked goal.

Jerome, partnering Benitez in attack, flicked the ball into the winger's path before watching him beat Bardsley with a dummy, and then Gordon with a nicely placed shot with his supposedly weaker right foot.

It could have been much worse for the Black Cats just two minutes later as Larsson was brought down by Anton Ferdinand and picked himself up to deliver a direct free-kick that Gordon had to get down low to keep out.

The visitors were in need of a response but unable to break down Birmingham's robust back four, as a long distance effort from Lorik Cana that flew a long way over the frame of the goal borne more out of frustration than anything.

With less than half an hour remaining McLeish's side seemed content to hold on to their two-goal advantage but they were almost undone by their own goalkeeper as Hart let the ball spill out of his clutches, but was hacked away.

Time was fast running out and with Bruce desperate to leave Saint Andrews with at least a point, the visiting boss made a triple substitution as Frazier Campbell, George McCartney and Boudewijn Zenden came on in place of Malbranque, Henderson and Cana.

McLeish meanwhile showed his intent for his side to shut up shop, as the lively McFadden was brought off for Garry O'Connor, while Jerome left the field to be replaced by Gary McSheffrey.

Birmingham proved to be their own undoing with less than ten minutes left though, as they gave away a free kick which was whipped in by Reid, flicked on by Turner, and then Dann, in his attempts to keep the ball out, could only help turn it into his own net to set up a tense finish to the encounter.

McLeish again looked to shore up the game to avoid conceding an equalizing goal, bringing on defensive midfielder Lee Carsley for Larsson, but Sunderland started to create and could have leveled late on.

Campbell, one of the shortest players on the pitch, could not convert with a header from six yards, while Bent met another cross from Reid and steered it back across goal, but could only find the outside of the post.

Birmingham managed to see out the four minutes of added time at the end of the game though, as the Midlands-based club climbed the Premier League table.

Jamie Dunn, Goal.com

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