Dean Peer and Martin Gleghorn got the goals as Birmingham City rode their luck to beat Fulham at St. Andrew’s tonight and claim three precious points in their pursuit of a play-off place.
The home side could have lost handsomely on another evening as their luckless visitors hit the woodwork three times – missing a penalty – and forcing a string of fine saves out of Blues goalkeeper Martin Thomas. Alan Dicks’ side attacked from the off and, whilst their adventurous approach should have paid dividends on the balance of play, the Whites were fortunate not to go behind from City’s first attack.
Trevor Aylott put Gleghorn in the clear down the left flank and, although the winger’s low cross, picked out John Gayle the striker somehow missed his kick from five yards out with the goal gaping. At the other end, Vince Overson almost gave Fulham the perfect start when his back pass from Thomas almost ended up in the home net after he was put under pressure by Phil Stant.
The relegation-threatened Cottagers then began to dominate proceedings and only a superb stop from Thomas prevented Stant from giving the Londoners with the lead with a fierce drive from 25 yards out. Brian Talbot, who made his debut in Saturday’s disappointing defeat at Bolton Wanderers, then saw a 20-yarder blocked by John Frain before Jeff Eckhardt blasted the rebound wide from close range.
That miss proved pivotal as Birmingham went in front a minute later. Peer powered home from close range after winger Dennis Bailey’s cross was headed down by Aylott and pushed past a stranded Stannard by Gayle. The home side might have scored a second just after the half hour mark with Bailey narrowly failing to turn Simon Sturridge’s cross past Stannard at the near post.
But Fulham should have been level by the break as Eckhardt hit the underside of the bar and then put the rebound over the top of the net with Thomas grounded. The Blues goalkeeper then did brilliantly to get his fingertips to a rising drive from Peter Scott as the visitors finished strongly.
Fulham came out on the front foot after the restart and, with the second half two minutes old, Stacey North cracked an effort against the crossbar. Eckhardt was then denied by another superb save from Thomas after he seemed set to head an equaliser from Gary Brazil. Birmingham looked to have cleared their lines but a dreadful Peer back pass gave Milton a sight of goal. The striker should have squared it for Stant to slot into the empty net but shot himself and Trevor Matthewson somehow cleared off the line.
Birmingham doubled their lead completely against the run of play ten minutes into the second period when a dreadful mistake from Mark Newson allowed Gleghorn to fire past a furious Stannard. As if to prove it wasn’t going to be their night, Fulham were left cursing the woodwork once again when Brazil blasted a penalty against the bar after Thomas had sent Milton crashing to the ground in the Birmingham box.
BIRMINGHAM CITY: M. Thomas; Overson, Frain, Clarkson, Matthewson, Peer, Bailey, Sturridge, Gayle, Aylott, Gleghorn. Subs (not used): Hopkins, Yates.
BOOKED: Overson.
GOALS: Peer (25), Gleghorn (55).
FULHAM: Stannard; Eckhardt, North, Pike, Morgan, Newson, Scott, Talbot, Brazil, Milton (Davies 75), Stant. Subs (not used): G. Thomas.
BOOKED: Morgan.
REFEREE: Jim Rushton (Stoke-on-Trent).
ATTENDANCE: 8,083.
