Wigan 2 - 0 Birmingham City

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Saturday Apr 05 2008 03:00

Revenge was sweet for Steve Bruce as Wigan Athletic edged closer to Premier League safety at the expense of his old club with Ryan Taylor striking at the double.

But it was another tough afternoon for Birmingham as once again they were reduced to ten men with the controversial sending off of Damien Johnson in the first half.

Replays of the tackle on Kevin Kilbane - who was not injured - suggested that a yellow card might have been sufficient, but in the current climate it was no surprise to see the red card brandished.

Birmingham had defender Martin Taylor back for his first Premier League appearance since his sending off against Arsenal for his tackle on Eduardo which ended the Croatian star's season.

Taylor replaced the suspended Frank Queudrue in the only change from last week's win over Manchester City.

Wigan had former Blues midfielder Wilson Palacios back from suspension but were still missing banned midfielders Michael Brown and Jason Koumas.

The Latics had the first chance after Birmingham failed to clear a free-kick fired into the box by Ryan Taylor.

Ex-Blue Mario Melchiot worked the space well before squaring the ball to Marcus Bent but the on-loan Charlton striker blasted it well over the bar.

Wigan threatened again when Bent picked out strike partner Emile Heskey with a telling ball, but the England man had strayed just offside.

The Latics snatched the lead after 15 minutes when Antonio Valencia's speed took him clear of Martin Taylor and the cross was perfect as Ryan Taylor raced in unchallenged to fire a low left-foot shot into the corner of the net.

Wigan went close to grabbing a second as the dangerous Valencia had a vicious strike scrambled away.

Keeper Maik Taylor was forced into action dealing with a shot from Heskey as the home side kept up the pressure.

Birmingham briefly turned the tide but it took 25 minutes before Chris Kirkland was in action saving a speculative long-range effort from Gary McSheffrey.

But Birmingham suffered a massive blow with the 37th minute sending off of Johnson for a two-footed lunge at Kilbane. Referee Mike Dean - who sent Martin Taylor off in the Arsenal game - had no hesitation in reaching for the red card.

And the Blues had a real let-off when Paul Scharner - making a club record 73rd Premier League appearance - let fly with a tremendous shot.

Maik Taylor was powerless and relieved to see it hit the foot of his right post and he was fortunate again when Bent fired wide from eight yards.

But ten-man Birmingham almost levelled it just before half-time when Argentine striker Mauro Zarate curled a shot just wide.

Wigan had an early chance after the break when Heskey hammered a shot wide but the killer goal came on 55 minutes. A deflected Valencia cross was flicked on by Bent and turned back inside by Scharner with Ryan Taylor poking it home.

Live Commentary

90
The full time whistle goes and the Latic fans are all signing 'we are staying up' which they may well be after taking another big step away from the relegation zone as Birmingham fail to win away from home again.

90
There will be three minutes of added on time to be played.

90
Wigan makes their last change of the game with Maynor Figueroa coming on to replace Josip Skoko.

87
Wigan make another change with Marlon King coming on for Emile Heskey.

86
Kilbane puts an inswinging corner into the penalty area which Birmingham can only half clear, the ball dropping for Skoko who guides it back to goal, sending it just inches wide of the target.

84
Steve Bruce brings off Ryan Taylor who gets a standing ovation and on comes Antoine Sibierski.

82
Valencia again for Wigan lays the ball off for Taylor who tries to turn on the edge of the penalty area but a great tackle from Jaidi wins the ball off before Taylor can pull the trigger.

80
Valencia again gets away from Kelly and then picks out Skoko on the edge of the penalty area but his effort is blazed high over the bar, no wonder he hasn't scored yet this season.

79
Valencia charges into the penalty area and tries to cut it back for Taylor again but there is just too much on the pass for Taylor to collect.

78
Taylor takes a freekick for Wigan which he curls in towards the near post, but its flicked away by the head of Paranby.

77
Jaidi gets himself a booking after crashing into the back the of Heskey.

74
Its all gone very flat at the JJB, Wigan are content with their lead and Birmingham are failing to find a way back into this game.

71
Birmingham are forced to make their last change as Martin Taylor limps off to be replaced by Stuart Paranby.

66
Birmingham make their second change of the afternoon with Cameron Jerome coming on for Mikael Forssell.

65
David Murphy, who hasn't done anything all afternoon, finally does something and gets himself a booking for handling the ball.

63
Medhi Nafti comes on for Birmingham as he replaces Gary McSheffrey.

62
Long throw from Birmingham is flicked on towards goal by Forssell and it just catches Kirkland off guard but its' just inches wide, good effort by Forssell.

60
Taylor tries to grab himself a hat-trick, smashing it from 35 yards but its blocked by Jaidi and then Heskey is pulled up for handling the ball.

58
Bent springs the offside trap and takes the ball around Maik Taylor, but his name sake is on the line to block Bent's goal bound effort. Good block by Martin Taylor.

55
Wigan get a deserved second goal and its that man Taylor again who gets it after Heskey shot forced a good save from Maik Taylor, Ryan Taylor was their to tap the ball in from point blank range.

51
Zarate crosses in a decent ball from the right which Forssell gets his head on but can only send it up in the air before Melchiot knicks the ball off McSheffrey inside the penalty area.

50
Ryan Taylor clips a freekick into the penalty area looking for Valencia but McSheffrey is ajudged to have been fouled by Valencia as he came in to win the cross.

45
Wigan get off to a flyer as Heskey out sprints Martin Taylor to reach a long ball before slamming it just wide of the left hand post.

45
The second half gets underway with Birmingham having a mountain to climb and Wigan knowing that a win will lift them six points clear of the drop zone if the results stay as they are.

45
Wigan lead at the break and deservedly to after dominating much of the half, creating some great chances against a poor Birmingham side who look down and out already after being reduced to ten-men.

45
The fourth official indicates that we are going to have two minutes of added on time.

44
Melchiot bombs forward from the right full-back position and picks out Bent with the cross who controls it and then bends it towards goal but it just dips over the bar.

38
Kilbane with an outstanding strike after picking up the ball from Ryan Taylor's knock down, Kilbane struck the shot first time and it smashes against the bottom of the post before bouncing away.

36
Damian Johnson is sent-off after diving in over the top of the ball, looking to tackle Kilbane but catches the Wigan player with studs up, dreadful tackle.

33
Valencia is causng Birmingham all kinds of problems, cutting into the penalty area and cutting it back across the penalty area before Palacios' shot is block and sent away by Martin Taylor.

31
McSheffrey has an effort from a Birmingham freekick but it's a long way out and McSheffrey can only smash the ball up and over the bar, into the crowd.

30
Taylor has a decent effort from a freekick 20 yards from goal, he gets the ball up and over the wall but Maik Taylor does well to collect the shot with a comfortable catch.

28
Skoko clips a cross into the penalty area, which Birmingham fail to clear after a comedy of errors before Palacios' shot is scuffed wide.

26
McSheffrey cuts inside from the left after some good build-up play by Birmingham, but McSheffrey's shot is straight at Kirkland who saves easily.

22
Kilbane lays off the ball for Heskey after a great run from the full-back position, Heskey takes the shot on first time with his left foot but its well saved by Maik Taylor who collects the ball at the second opportunity.

19
Taylor, the goalscorer, takes the resulting corner which Larsson heads away before Johnson can complete the job and clear it into the Wigan half.

18
Valencia has a decent effort at goal which Mailk Taylor stops but Birmingham fail to clear, Bent can't finish from close range before the ball is stabbed behind for a corner.

17
McSheffrey curls another freekick in from a wide position but it's too high for any Blues players and Kirkland can come out to claim the ball.

15
Vital goal for Wigan after Valencia made an excellent run down the left, beating Kelly before sending in a low cross which comes across to Ryan Taylor who shins the ball home from close range.

11
McSheffrey takes a quick freekick, sending it in towards Forssell who gets a flick on but can only send it over the crossbar.

10
Great couple of chanes for Wigan with Bent geting into the penalty area and hitting his shot against his own man Melchiot before the ball is cut back to Bent again who skies it from 10 yards, bad miss by Bent.

8
Birmingham win the first corner of the day, taken by McSheffrey towards the far post but its headed away by Skoko without really being challenged.

7
Zarate gets the better of Kilbane, getting in behind the former Evertonian and then trying to cut the ball back across the face of goal but its easily cleared by Jaidi in the end.

3
The pitch at the JJB is, in a word, dreaful, and some of the Birmingham players are already staring at the pitch as passes go astray in the opening minutes.

1
Bent gets down the wing for Wigan after recieving Heskey's clever pass, Bent gets a high cross into the box but its easily grabbed by Maik Taylor.

0
Referee Mike Dean gets this game underway here at the JJB with both sides hanging preciously above the drop zone.

0
Birmingham XI: Maik Taylor, Kelly, Martin Taylor, Jaidi, Murphy, Larsson, Muamba, Johnson, McSheffrey, Zarate, Forssell

0
Birmingham have their own suspension problems with Queudrue and Ridgewell both missing for Brum, Taylor and Kelly coming in for the banned pair. The Blues are also still without Kapo and McFadden, who both miss out though injury.

0
Wigan XI: Kirkland, Melchiot, Scharner, Boyce, Kilbane, Valencia, Skoko, Palacios, Taylor, Bent, Heskey

0
Wigan welcome back Palacios from suspension for this vital six pointer but the Latics are still without Michael Brown and Jason Koumas who are banned as Steve Bruce faces his former club for the first time.

Statistics

Wigan

Shots on target	8
Shots off target	6
Shots off bar/post	1
Fouls	11
Offsides	3
Corners	2

Birmingham City

Shots on target	1
Shots off target	4
Shots off bar/post	0
Fouls	17
Offsides	1
Corners	2

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