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  • Kick-off: 12:45
  • Venue: St Andrews Stadium
  • Attendance: 24019
  • Referee: Stroud, K

Live Commentary

90mins

That's it, it's all over, the referee has blown the final whistle.

90mins

Goal!! Birmingham have scored with Kevin Phillips putting it in the back of the net.

90mins

Goal!! Birmingham have scored with Kevin Phillips putting it in the back of the net.

83mins

Jonathan Stead goes into the referees book for unsporting behaviour.

82mins

Sebastian Larsson is replaced by Cameron Jerome.

82mins

Darius Henderson is replaced by Jonathan Stead.

77mins

The referee has booked Lee Carsley.

73mins

Marcus Bent is being taken off, Garry O'Connor has come on in his place.

65mins

Gary McSheffrey is replaced by Kevin Phillips.

61mins

Billy Sharp is replaced by Danny Webber.

46mins

The second half is under way with the score currently at 0 v 0.

45mins

Half time whistle is blown by K Stroud

45mins

Stuart Parnaby is booked for unsporting behaviour.

0mins

It's 12:45am on Saturday, August 9th, the match has kicked off.

Match Report

Kevin Phillips made a dream debut for Birmingham City as his last-minute strike fired the promotion favourites to victory against luckless Sheffield United at St Andrew's.

Phillips, 35, who scored 22 goals last season to help West Bromwich Albion win promotion last season, pounced in the second minute of injury time to earn Birmingham a hard earned win.

Garry O'Connor flicked on a long clearance from goalkeeper Maik Taylor, before Phillips drilled a low shot past Paddy Kenny at his near post.

It was a rare moment of class in an otherwise disappointing game between two of the Championship's big hitters.

The defeat was rough on United, who weathered a promising early start from promotion favourites Birmingham to take charge of the first half.

But they lacked a real cutting edge in attack despite the best efforts of the hard-working Billy Sharp.

United will be disappointed not to have taken a lead into half-time as they looked the most threatening side, but they were unable to find a way past goalkeeper Taylor.

The Northern Ireland international tipped a 25-yard drive from Gary Speed over the bar in the 12th minute and then denied Sharp with another smart save at his near post 10 minutes later.

In contrast, Birmingham struggled to test Kenny and it was only in the final minute of the opening period when they posed a threat of their own.

Striker Marcus Bent, making his debut after his £1million move from Charlton, was picked out at the far post by a Sebastian Larsson corner, only to see his goalbound drive blocked by Matt Kilgallon.

United also carried their own threat from set-pieces and were unfortunate not to break the deadlock 11 minutes into the second half.

Michael Tonge's left-wing corner picked out Speed on the edge of the area, but the former Wales international was unable to get his header on target and it whistled just wide of the post.

James McFadden should really have given Birmingham a 74th minute lead when he blazed over from 12 yards, but his blushes were spared by the predatory Phillips, who gave Birmingham the perfect start to their bid to make an instant return to the Premier League.

Birmingham City

Sheffield United

Corners

66

Fouls

1023

Goal attempts

86

Shots off target

32

Offsides

24

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