Birmingham City condemned Bristol City to relegation from the Championship on Tuesday night by beating them 1-0 at Ashton Gate.
Wade Elliot’s goal, on 16 minutes, was enough for Birmingham to record seventh league away win of the season.
Bristol City’s six-season long run in the Championship came to an end thanks to their third successive defeat.
Although they created a number of chances, Bristol City were unable to find a way past Jack Butland in the Birmingham goal once Elliot had given the visitors the lead.
Elliot slotted home for the ninth time this season after a clever run by Nathan Redmond.
Nikola Zigic shortly had a goal ruled out for offside for Birmingham but, at the other end, Steven Davies’ drilled effort whistled inches wide of the Birmingham post.
Bristol City improved after the break and Butland saved smartly to deny Sam Baldock when the ex-West Ham striker was played through by Davies.
Baldock was Bristol’s best hope of a goal and the attacker spurned a great opportunity to level things on 69 minutes. He connected well with Davies’ knock-down but his 20-yard effort went wide.
Though Bristol City kept putting pressure on the Birmingham backline, they defended resolutely and could have sealed the win on the break. Ravel Morrison’s cross should have been converted by Zigic and then substitute Chris Burke saw an effort cleared off the line.
The win for Birmingham, their first victory in four games, sees them climb up to 12th, now six points off the relegation zone with three matches left to play. As Wolves beat Hull elsewhere and Huddersfield won, the defeat for Bristol City relegates them from the second tier of English football.
Source: DSG
