Source: Team_Talk
Blues survive shoot-out with Bees
irmingham reached the Carling Cup quarter-finals after overcoming Brentford 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at St Andrew's on Tuesday.[LNB] Blues goalkeeper Maik Taylor made the decisive save to deny Bees defender Craig Woodman from the spot.[LNB]The Bees looked to have followed up their third-round victory over Everton with another win after Sam Wood's 15-yard drive midway through the second half.[LNB]But striker Kevin Phillips broke the League One side's hearts in the 92nd minute with the equalising goal.[LNB]Brentford against defied their poor league form - they are currently 19th in the table - with their performance.[LNB]Birmingham manager Alex McLeish made seven changes from the side which had defeated Blackpool at the weekend.[LNB]Blues midfielder Michel had the first attempt on goal but his low 25-yard drive was a couple of feet off target.[LNB]Craig Gardner's fine pass found Phillips in space but the ball appeared to get caught under the foot of the veteran and the chance went begging.[LNB]Then City captain Stephen Carr's persistence won him the ball in the Brentford box and it dropped invitingly into the path of Phillips. But his low, first-time shot lacked power and did not extend Bees skipper Richard Lee.[LNB]Lee kept his side on level terms with a fine reflex save after 25 minutes.[LNB]He blocked a powerful drive from Stuart Parnaby at close range after he had got on the end of a cross from O'Connor.[LNB]But Brentford retaliated almost immediately and Taylor had to be alert to turn Myles Weston's left-footed effort around the post after he had outpaced Scott Dann.[LNB]Blues ended the half with a flourish and Gardner created an opening for Matt Derbyshire - but the striker elected to try to find O'Connor rather than shooting himself.[LNB]Lee got his body behind a 30-yard drive from Gardner early in the second half after good play by Phillips.[LNB]Brentford sensed the chance of an upset and Ridgewell volleyed a menacing cross over his own bar from Charlie MacDonald.[LNB]Michel came to City's rescue when he cleared a volley from Michael Spillane off the line from a Wood corner.[LNB]McLeish made his first change after 63 minutes with O'Connor replaced by Nathan Redmond - and the youngster made an instant impact with his first-time pass picking out the run of Lee Bowyer, who dragged his shot just past the post.[LNB]But after 69 minutes Sam Wood gave Brentford a shock lead. A mistake by Carr allowed Weston the opportunity to cross and the ball was headed back by MacDonald to Wood, who made no mistake with his 15-yard drive.[LNB]McLeish brought on Nikola Zigic for Derbyshire in an attempt to rescue the tie.[LNB]Lee kept the Bees ahead by making a finger-tip save to turn aside Gardner's curling effort from the edge of the box.[LNB]But the woodwork rescued Blues when Woodman's drive hit the top of the bar.[LNB]Zigic could have levelled but he headed over from Carr's cross.[LNB]Then in injury-time Phillips rescued Birmingham from close range after being teed up by Ridgewell.[LNB]Birmingham tried to take advantage of their reprieve in extra-time and Lee made a fine save to keep out Zigic's header from Bowyer's centre.[LNB]Phillips was then only inches wide with a 20-yard drive, before Gardner was just wide with a low free-kick in the last minute.[LNB]The game went to penalties and Phillips, Gardner, Scott Dann and Carr scored from the spot for the home side, with Bowyer shooting over the bar.[LNB]Kevin O'Connor, David Hunt and Lewis Grabban netted for the Bees but Spillane hit the bar, before Taylor denied Woodman.[LNB]
