Source: Daily_Mail
Birmingham star Ridgewell escapes ban for lunge that left linesman injured
Birmingham defender Liam Ridgewell will face no FA action over his challenge on Wigan midfielder James McCarthy during Saturday's Barclays Premier League clash at St Andrew's.[LNB]McCarthy suffered an ankle injury from the touch-line challenge by Ridgewell in which referee's assistant Trevor Massey had to be carried off after being struck in the face by the tip of the corner flag.[LNB]Latics boss Roberto Martinez was incensed by the challenge and felt that referee Anthony Taylor should have sent off the former Aston Villa player.[LNB] On the slide: Liam Ridgewell's lunge on Wigan's James McCarthy[LNB]But Taylor opted to take no action and the FA have decided not to act retrospectively.[LNB]An FA spokesman said: 'The FA are to take no action against LiamRidgewell because the referee saw the incident at the time and dealtwith the situation at the time.'[LNB]Ridgewell, meanwhile, insists Birmingham will not ease up despitesitting eighth in the Barclays Premier League with 40 points in the bag.[LNB]No let up: Ridgewell insists Birmingham will push on[LNB]After reaching the magic 40 point barrier with victory over Wigan, Ridgewell admitted there was a 'buzz' around the ground.[LNB]The defender said: 'To get to 40 points is what you aim for at the start of the season and we are delighted.[LNB]'You saw the reaction at the end of the game. A lot of people heregot relegated two years ago which was a really horrible feeling.[LNB]'It is a great buzz to know you will be playing in the Premier League again next season.'[LNB]Birmingham take a break from league action this weekend when they visit Portsmouth in their FA Cup quarter-final clash.[LNB]Ridgewell said: 'It is important to get to the 40 point mark goinginto the FA Cup game. We had been lingering on 37 for a couple ofgames. It is nice to get there and gives you that bit of a breather.[LNB]'Hull came up last season and went right to the wire before achieving safety and hopefully we can kick on from here.'[LNB]Ridgewell is adamant City will not take their foot off the gas in the final two months of the campaign.[LNB]He said: 'We won't take our eye off ball. We've got a quarter-finaland a win will take us to Wembley and, if you don't see that as anincentive, there is no point in playing.[LNB]'But maybe getting to 40 points can help a bit for the cup in the sense that it eases the tension.[LNB]'We can make sure we've got our minds right for the quarter-finals without having to worry about a relegation battle.'[LNB]Meanwhile, Birmingham's promising midfielder Jordon Mutch has extended his loan stay at Doncaster for another month.[LNB] Crunch time: Aaron Ramsey's broken leg is a wake-up call for the game of painMcLeish warns Birmingham ahead of facing wounded Pompey in FA CupKris Boyd under the microscope in Scots scouting mission for BirminghamBirmingham 1 Wigan 0: Make my men as tough as Rooney, demands McLeishBIRMINGHAM CITY FC
