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3 Valuable points for the Canaries as they hold on depsite the building pressure from the Blues.
Stephen Clemence drills the ball at goal but Robert Green saves.
It seems that it is not Birmingham's day as Clinton Morrison goes agonisingly close heading the ball at the crossbar.
Norwich substitution as Leon McKenzie makes way for Mathias Svensson.
Damien Francis drills the ball at Taylor's goal but it misses and Taylor takes the goal kick.
Cross by Jermiane Pennant results in a shot from Robert Blake which he mis hits and it goes out for a throw.
Darren Huckerby shoots right footed from 18 yards, curling the ball at Taylor but it floats wide on the right.
A tactical substitution by Nigel Worthington sees Adam Drury replaced by Simon Charlton.
Stephen Clemence fouls Darren Huckerby outside the area. David Bentley takes the resulting free kic, curling the ball from 25 yards but Maik Taylor saves.
A mis hit by Stephen Clemence turns into a shot from 20 yards but Robert Green saves.
Jamie Clapham takes a free kick, swings it into the box to Heskey who heads but it is off target.
Foul by Leon McKenzie on Jermaine Pennant which results in a free kick. McKenzie is shown the yellow card.
Jermaine Pennant is causing trouble for Norwich as he makes another run down the wing and crosses into Clinton Morrison who heads but it misses wide on the right.
Youssef Safri is replaced by Gary Holt.
Jermaine Pennant puts a cross in but it is a wasted chance as it's completley off atrget and goes out of play for a throw in.
Jermaine Pennant goes in the book for unsporting behaviour on Leon McKenzie.
Mario Melchiot crosses but Youssef Safri blocks for a corner. Jermaine Pennant swings it in but Norwich clear.
Dean Ashton breaks free to launch a shot at Birmingham's goal from the left hand side of the penalty area but Maik Taylor is there to catch.
Clinton Morrison meets a cross by Medhi Nafti with his hand and is booked by Steve Bennett.
Clinton Morrison comes on for Walter Gerardo Pandiani upfront.
The home team keep their hopes of staying up alive after Ashton's penalty.
kenny Cunningham brings down Darren Huckerby in the area gifting the Canaries a penalty. Dean Ashton places it in the bottom corner giving the home team the lead.
Emile Hjeskey launches a shot from 18 yards but Thomas Helveg is there to block.
A foul by Jason Shackell on Emile Heskey results in a free kick for Birmingham. Jermaine Pennant crosses from the right wing but Craig Fleming blocks and hits the ball out.
Birmingham begin to feel some pressure as Mario Melchiot is forced to make two important blockages in a minute from two Norwich crosses.
Leon McKenzie bursts forward from defence but he is offside.
Damien Johnson is given his marching orders for violent conduct after a foul on Thomas Helveg.
Jermaine Pennant whips in another swinging corner to Matthew Upson who heads over the bar.
A hopeful shot from Walter Gerardo Pandiani results in a corner for Birmingham. Jermaine Pennant swings it in to the head of Mario Melchiot but his header is blocked by Adam Drury for another corner.
Stan Lazaridis makes way for Stephen Clemence as he leaves the field wiht a thigh strain.
David Bentley shakes off the Birmingham defence to put a cross into the box but Maik Taylor is waiting to make an easy claim.
Foul by Medhi Nafti on Leon McKenzie and the Birmingham player is booked for unsporting behaviour.
The ball falls to Leon McKenzie who is unlucky to mishit his shot and the ball bobbles to Maik Taylor.
Walter Pandini pops up again in the box to head at goal but it misses wide on the right.
Mario Melchiot makes a run down the wing and fires in a cross to Walter Gerardo Pandiani. he curls it at goal from the right hand side of the peanlty area but it hits the woodwork.
Jamie Clapham finds some space in the box and shoots right footed on the volley from 18 yards. Craig Fleming bolcks but Walter Gerardo Pandiani follows up with another shot that Robert Green comes out to catch.
Mario Melchiot bursts forward but he is offside.
Foul by Adam Drury on Jamie Clapham gifts the Blues a free kick. Jermaine Pennant takes but it results in open play.
The teams kick off in this crucial relegation battle.
If this had been a boxing match Birmingham City would have won comfortably on points, even after Damien Johnson had been dismissed after half an hour for pretending he was in a boxing match. But this was football and Norwich City claimed a vital three points which lifted them out of the bottom three, thanks to Dean Ashton's calmly taken penalty at the end of the first half and some pretty desperate defending against the ten-man Blues. The visitors kicked off and the impressive Jermaine Pennant caused problems from early on and throughout the game. For the home side Leon McKenzie did well to release Ashton but he allowed the ball to run through to Maik Taylor. Walter Pandiani's shot deflected off Thomas Helveg and bounced over via Robert Green's crossbar. After a long spell off Birmingham's possession McKenzie made a good run towards the Blues penalty area but then scuffed his shot. David Bentley tried unsuccessfully to volley home Ashton's deep cross from the left wing. Stan Lazaridis limped off in the 20th minute to be replaced by Stephen Clemence. He was followed on the half hour by Johnson for his attack on Helveg in an off-the-ball incident. Briefly Norwich looked more lively, but it was Emile Heskey who came closest to scoring when he got his head to another dangerous cross from Pennant. Norwich got their goal just before half-time when Kenny Cunningham tripped Darren Huckerby and Ashton sent Taylor the wrong way with a low right-foot shot to the keeper's left. In the opening minutes of the second half McKenzie fired wide and Ashton's shot was well saved by Taylor. Birmingham then enjoyed most of the possession in spite of being down to ten men. Bentley's free-kick went straight to Taylor and Huckerby curled his shot just over the bar. Taylor made a point-blank save from McKenzie and half-time sub Clinton Morrison hit the cross bar with a fierce shot and headed just over in another Birmingham attack. The home side held on to clinch victory and the Canaries fans cheered their team on a lap of honour and got another boost when they heard Southampton had scored a later equaliser against Crystal Palace. Man of the Match: Dean Ashton - Not just for keeping his cool to tuck away the penalty, but for his non-stop running up front, his ability to hold up the ball and not least his defensive headers when Norwich were pushed back for long periods.
Corners
Fouls
Goal attempts
Shots off target
Offsides
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