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Steve Bennett blows the whistle and Aston Villa take the three points
The fourth official indicates three minutes of added time
Villa look to have sealed the win and are defending deep as the clock ticks down
BIRMINGHAM CITY 1 - 2 ASTON VILLA (AGBONLAHOR) Gabriel Agbonlahor sends the Villa fans into raptures with what surely should be the winning goal
Ironically Liam Ridgwell rose like a salmon from the next corner and headed the ball down to the bottom corner, only for Agbonlahor to deny him and clear brilliantly off the line
Birmingham have Villa under pressure and have won three corners in a row without causing any real problems
The game is being played at a hundred miles per hour as both sides look to push for the winning goal
Wilfred Bouma got forward from left back and found himself in some space outside the area, but his left footed shot spun wide for a goal kick
Luke Moore almost found a gap in the Birmingham defence but Ridgewell once again was there to intercept the ball and clear it to safety
The game is very open and definately has one more goal in it somewhere
Sebastian Larsson replaces Medhi Nafti
Luke Moore caused Birmingham some trouble in the penalty area trying to get the ball under control, he then knocked the ball accross the face of goal for Reo-Coker to volley hopelessly over the crossbar
Cameron Jerome again in the thick of the action for Birmingham but this time his shot went high and wide of the goal
Scott Carson produces a brilliant save from a powerful Cameron Jerome shot which he must of saw very late
Liam Ridgewell with an excellent tackle to deny Agbonlahor from breaking clear on goal
The home crowd are as loud as ever and urging their team to go and win the game now they have Villa under some pressure
BIRMINGHAM CITY 1 - 1 ASTON VILLA (FORSSELL) Mikael Forssell crashes a header into the back of the net from a Daniel De Ridder cross
Daniel De Ridder did brilliantly to get to the byline and drive a cross into the goal area but it was Martin Laursen who got their first and cleared for Villa
Stephen Kelly is eventually booked for what could be he fifth or sixth foul on Ashley Young
Nigel Reo Coker did well to drive down the right side of the penalty area and drive a dangerous cross into the box, but there was nobody to get on the end of it for Villa
Zat Knight is lucky to get away with sloppily playing the ball accross his own box, with Jerome almost intercepting it for Birmingham
Fabrice Muamba booked for a nasty late tackle on Stilian Petrov
Good strength and skill from Cameron Jerome set up Forrsell who shot at goal, only for Zat Knight to make a superb block for Villa
Ashley Young curled in a free kick from the left which sailed over the top of everybody and out for a goal kick
Half time substitution with Mikael Forssell replacing Walter Palacios
Aston Villa get the game back underway
Aston Villa go into half time with the lead here at St. Andrews
The fourth official indicates two minutes of added time
Agbonlahor again breaks clear of the Birmingham defence with his pace, but he hesitated with his shot and drilled it to the near post where Maik Taylor saved with his feet
Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor are causing the home side problems with their pace and trickery down both flanks
Young took the resulting free kick which he crashed straight against the wall
Ashley Young was brought down right on the edge of the penalty area after he was brought down by Medhi Nafti and Villa are awarded a free kick in a dangerous position
A lack of communication between Djourou and Ridgewell gave possession to John Carew who struck the ball at goal, but luckily for them his shot went way over the crossbar
De Ridder should be careful with his future conduct after he was lucky to get away with a deliberate foul on Ashley Young as he advanced towards the box
Daniel De Ridder booked for a terrible dive inside the penalty area after he tried to claim a penalty for the home side
Birmingham can't keep the ball for longer than five passes and don't even look like trying to play football
Olivier Kapo surged forward with the ball at his feet and looked like he was going to hit a trademark thunderbolt into the top corner, but instead his shot trickeled along the ground and out for a goal kick
Daniel De Ridder with a run and a cross down the right which did not really cause any problems for Villa with Scott Carson coming to catch it with ease
Johan Djourou is recieving some treatment off the pitch to his right foot after he was caught late by Gareth Barry
Agbonlahor wins a corner for Villa after some trickery down the left side, but Birmingham clear it with a punch from Maik Taylor
Maik Taylor makes a brilliant save from John Carew who drilled a shot down from down the left side of the penalty area
Gareth Barry first to be booked for a late tackle on Johan Djorou
Ashley Young does well to win a corner for Villa after causing Birmingham some problems down the left
The home crowd have been silenced and the side stunned by a goal against the run of play here at St. Andrews
BIRMINGHAM CITY 0 - 1 ASTON VILLA (RIDGEWELL O.G.) Liam Ridgewell turned the ball into his own net after Birmingham failed to successfully clear a Villa cross into the penalty area
Gabriel Agbonlahor is the subject to constant booing and jeering from the home fans, no doubt because of his Villain roots
Aston Villa have struggled to get out of their own half in the opening five minutes of the game and are finding it difficult to keep up with Birmingham's movement
Zat Knight is lucky to get away with what looked like a handball as Cameron Jerome flicked the ball over his shoulder inside the penalty area
No suprise that the start to the game is fast and furious, with Birmingham winning the first free kick that was duely cleared by Villa
Birmingham City get the game under way in the first second city derby of the season
Referee: Steve Bennett (Kent)
Martin O'Neill is able to include Ashley Young in his starting line-up after he proved himself fit following a slight groin strain. John Carew also features for Villa after missing the last 6 games with knee ligament damage.
Cameron Jerome starts for Birmingham after recovering from a slight injury, though Gary McSheffery and Gary O'Connor have not fully recovered from thier injuries and have to settle for places on the bench.
Aston Villa Line-up: Carson, Mellberg, Knight, Laursen, Bouma, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Barry, Young, Carew, Agbonlahor
Birmingham City Line-up: Taylor, Kelly, Djourou, Ridgewell, Schmitz, De Ridder, Muamba, Nafti, Palacios, Jerome, Kapo
Birmingham City lock horns with city rivals Aston Villa in Sunday's early kick-off at St Andrew's. For the Blues, victory would end a three-game losing streak against their near neighbours which stretches back to their last season in the top-flight in the 2005-06 campaign. Elsewhere, the home side are seeking a return to winning ways following last weekend's 3-1 reverse at the hands of Everton. Their fourth defeat in five games left Steve Bruce's side 14th in the table and just three points clear of the relegation zone, but the Blues boss is refusing to press the panic button. "It is not the first time this season I've come away thinking we should have had something from a game," he said after seeing his side conceded twice in the 90th minute to lose at Goodison Park. "We have to learn from it, but I do think we showed some of the qualities you need in this division." The previous week's battling 3-2 success over Wigan went some way to explain Bruce's optimism, but with his early season injury problems now easing, the City chief is looking for an upturn in fortunes. Freescoring midfielder Olivier Kapo has led the way with three goals in his last two games, while the back four of Stephen Kelly, Johan Djourou, Liam Ridgewell and Rafael Schmitz is growing into a solid defensive unit. Aston Villa moved into the top half of the table following a 2-0 victory over Derby County last weekend. Martin Laursen and Ashley Young were on the mark for Martin O'Neill's side as they ended a two-match winless streak against the league's bottom side. Young picked up a groin strain after scoring Villa's second but is expected to be fit for the short trip to St Andrew's, while fellow forward John Carew looks set to return to contention after three weeks on the sidelines with a knee ligament problem. Luke Moore could return to the bench should O'Neill hand the towering Norway international a return to the starting line-up, but elsewhere the Villa boss seems set to keep faith with the same side that coasted past Derby. Laursen and Zat Knight continue to keep Curtis Davies out of the side, while in midfield Shaun Maloney and Craig Gardner continue to be left on the bench.
Gabriel Agbonlahor scored a brilliant winning goal for Aston Villa and in the process enhanced his prospects of a call-up to England's senior side. Agbonlahor was certainly Villa's hero as, only two minutes before he notched his 87th minute winner, he had dramatically cleared a Liam Ridgewell header off the line. Earlier, Villa had been given the lead by an own goal by their former central defender Ridgewell. This goal was cancelled out by substitute Mikael Forssell, but then Agbonlahor sealed Villa's win - their third in the last nine games against their local rivals. It was a dramatic finish and Birmingham's defeat has dragged them into the relegation dog-fight. It was the second successive match they have conceded a winning goal in the last five minutes of the game. Villa, beaten only once on the road this season, continued their climb up the table in their bid for European football next season. The game bore no resemblance to the recent behind-closed-doors friendly when Villa won 4-3 despite a hat-trick from Forssell. That encounter was described as "feisty" and "tasty" by Birmingham boss Steve Bruce. The real thing was untidy and lacking real inspiration and it might well have been different if Birmingham's fast start had produced an early goal. They attempted to put Villa out of their stride but this dramatically back-fired when Villa took their shock lead with their first direct attack on Birmingham's goal. There was something tentative about the way Birmingham handled the attack. There appeared to be very little danger from Stiliyan Petrov's low cross from the right. But for one moment, Ridgewell must have forgotten he had switched clubs as he tamely turned the cross into his own net to his subsequent consternation. Birmingham continued to be apprehensive and certainly lacked a direct style to put Villa's defence out of their stride. Essentially it was a case of Villa containing their opposition and looking dangerous on the break. John Carew had a quiet game, although it was only a fine save by Maik Taylor in the first half which prevented him marking his return with a goal. There was a debatable incident in the first half when Daniel de Ridder cut inside and fell forward following a challenge from Martin Laursen. Birmingham fans thought it was a penalty, but referee Steve Bennett thought otherwise and booked the Dutchman for diving. With Wilson Palacios completely out of touch, it was hardly a surprise that Bruce drafted in Forssell for the second half. It was a move which was fully justified as Forssell, who has struggled for the last three years with knee problems, delighted the home fans with a 62nd minute equaliser when he headed in a right-wing cross from de Ridder. Forssell undoubtedly lifted Birmingham's spirits. Cameron Jerome responded to the situation and only a fine save by Scott Carson kept out a blockbuster of a shot. But Villa had only themselves to blame for not sealing the game in the 70th minute when Gareth Barry headed to the unmarked Nigel Reo-Cocker who scooped the ball over the bar in front of an open goal. But Agbonlahor had the final say. Following his goalline clearance, he notched a dramatic late when he headed home Ashley Young's left-wing cross.
Corners
Fouls
Goal attempts
Shots off target
Offsides
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