Birmingham v Portsmouth live!

19 August 2009 19:18
// A bit of a hack but it works// The article snippet is wrapped onto a second line, even when #article-sub is emptyif( $("div#article-sub").children().length == 0 ) {$("div#article-sub").remove();} FULL TIME. Birmingham win in contentious circumstances. Thanks for being with us tonight and stay with us for reaction.[LNB]90 (+4) Utaka turns and shoots from the edge of the box and his effort goes just over.[LNB]90 (+4) Kaboul is booked for a challenge on Fahey near the halfway line.[LNB]90 (+3) Mullins passes to Kranjcar at the far post and his effort is weak from six yards out and Hart saves.[LNB]90 (+1) McFadden takes the penalty into the right hand side of the net sending James the wrong way.[LNB]89 McFadden crosses from the left but James punches clear. Birmingham come again and Phillips' cross is headed away by Kaboul before James runs into Larsson at the far post as he watches the ball, sending Larsson crashing to the ground and the ref gives a penalty.[LNB]89 Kanu has a long range shot but it is blocked.[LNB]88 Carr hits a long ball forward towards Benitez but it is too strong and James is out quickly to gather in the box.[LNB]87 Birmingham win a free-kick 40 yards out in front of goal. Queudrue takes towards Larsson on the right but Pompey clear.[LNB]86 Larsson crosses from the right 15 yards out but James is out again to gather.[LNB]85 Pompey take the corner but Birmingham clear and Benitez breaks away and passes to Phillips on the edge of the box but he is dis-possessed and Pompey clear themselves.[LNB]85 Belhadj crosses from the left and Carr has to put the ball out at the near post for a corner on the left.[LNB]84 Lull - no more chances yet as neither side can keep possession.[LNB]82 Benitez is on for O'Connor.[LNB]82 Queudrue takes the free-kick but it is overhit and goes out for a goal kick.[LNB]81 McFadden wins a free-kick just inside Pompey's half.[LNB]81 Kanu is on for Piquionne.[LNB]80 Larsson takes the free-kick on the right from 25 yards out but James is out quickly to gather.[LNB]79 Birmingham take the corner on the right but Pompey partially clear before Piquionne is booked for a foul on the right.[LNB]78 Birmingham win a free-kick 30 yards out. They take quickly and the ball is nodded down by O'Connor to Phillips who volleys towards the bottom right hand corner from ten yards out but James pulls off a fantasic save to deny the striker and concede a corner.[LNB]76 Belhadj takes the free-kick but it is straight at Hart who gathers easily.[LNB]75 Utaka wins a free-kick five yards out on the right after being fouled by McFadden.[LNB]73 Belhadj crosses from the left but Johnson clears in the box.[LNB]72 Lull - no more chances yet.[LNB]70 Phillips wins a free-kick on the halfway line from Kaboul. Queudrue takes but Pompey hold firm in the box and clear.[LNB]69 Kranjcar takes the free-kick. It goes over the ball and dips at the near post but Hart is down well to easily gather.[LNB]68 Belhadj does well to win a free-kick 25 yards out on the left, enticing Larsson into the foul.[LNB]66 Larsson takes the corner on the left. James comes to gather the ball in the middle but misses it and the ball falls to Phillips at the far post but he can not capitalise and Pompey clear the danger.[LNB]65 Larsson takes the free-kick and James has to push his effort over the bar for a corner.[LNB]63 Birmingham press forward and a cross from the right goes inches past Phillips in the box. The ball is then played back into Phillips who wins a free-kick on the edge of the box under a challenge from Mullins.[LNB]62 Kranjcar feeds the ball to Piquionne who prepares to shoot but is dis-possessed by Queudrue at the last minute. Great defending.[LNB]61 Belhadj floats the ball into the box towards Hart who punches the ball and then catches it at the second attempt.[LNB]61 Parnaby fouls Piquionne right on the right edge of the box.[LNB]60 Pompey win a corner on the left. They take but Birmingham clear up field.[LNB]59 Pompey press forward and Piquionne scuffs a shot which falls to Mullins unmarked six yards out but he does not expect the ball to come to him and he puts his shot wide of Hart's left post.[LNB]58 Birmingham enjoy good possession before Ferguson is is-possessed.[LNB]56 McFadden runs on goal but Kaboul dis-possesses him on the edge of the box. Birmingham come again but Pompey hold firm and clear.[LNB]56 Kranjcar takes the corner but Birmingham clear from the box.[LNB]55 Utaka wins a corner on the right from a cross.[LNB]54 Jerome can not shrugg off his injury and Phillips is on.[LNB]54 McFadden takes the free-kick but the wall does its job and Pompey clear.[LNB]53 Jerome is hobbling off to the edge of the pitch.[LNB]52 Jerome is still down needing treatment.[LNB]51 Jerome wins a free-kick near the right edge of the box after he is brought down by Basinas, who is yellow-carded.[LNB]49 Vignal is injured and replaced with Parnaby. Word from the bench is he pulled a muscle in the first period and they did not want to make it worse.[LNB]48 Birmingham are pumped up now and O'Connor's cross from the right finds McFadden on the edge of the box but his effort is again blocked and gathered.[LNB]47 McFadden tries his luck from distance but Wilson blocks his effort.[LNB]46 McFadden runs down the left flank before feeding the ball to Jerome who shoots from 25 yards out in front of goal but his effort is just over and wide. Unlucky.[LNB]46 Pompey re-start the game.[LNB]46 Utaka is on for Vanden Borre for Pompey.[LNB] Fancy a bet? Sky Bet now go 7/5 for a Birmingham win, 6/5 the draw and 3/1 for a Pompey victory. My 1-1 prediction is still on. Do you think Birmingham can win or will Pompey snatch a winner? Send your views to steve.pass@bskyb.com and I will post up the best throughout the evening.[LNB] HALF-TIME. It is goalless here at half-time. Larsson had the best chance of the half but headed over from six yards. Stay with us for the second period.[LNB]45 (+1) Birmingham win a throw in ten yards out on the right. They take and Johnson heads on at the near post but Pompey are equal to the threat and clear.[LNB]45 One minute of time is added on.[LNB]44 Pompey take the corner on the left but Birmingham clear. Diop is being wheelchaired off and looks in pain - it could be his hamstring.[LNB]43 Piquionne creates a yard of space for himself on the left edge of the box and shoots to the near post. Hart has to dive down well to push the ball out for a Pompey corner.[LNB]42 Diop is replaced by Basinas as the injury must be worse and first seemed.[LNB]42 Diop is down for treatment but is now up on his feet and hobbling to the side of the pitch.[LNB]41 Vignal hits a searching ball forward for Jerome but Distin does well to head away in the box.[LNB]40 Belhadj takes the corner from the left but Johnson heads out easily in the box.[LNB]39 Kranjcar takes the free-kick and Queudrue heads out at the far post for Pompey's first corner of the half.[LNB]38 Birmingham punt the free-kick forward but Pompey clear and win their own free-kick to the right of Birmingham's box.[LNB]37 Pompey enjoy good possession before Mokoena losses the ball and fouls trying to regain possession on the halfway line.[LNB]36 Vanden Borre runs towards goal on the right but is dis-possessed and Birmingham clear.[LNB]35 Kranjcar shoots from 25 yards out to the left of goal but Hart easily saves above his head at the near post.[LNB]33 Larsson puts the corner in but James punches clear. The ball is played bacl to O'Connor on the right of the box but his deflected shot is gathered by James.[LNB]32 Queudrue crosses from the left and wins a corner on the left.[LNB]31 Kranjcar makes a strong run towards goal before releasing the ball 25 yards out but Piquionne is given off-side.[LNB]30 Belhadj puts in a cross from 30 yards out on the left but he overhits it and the ball goes out for a goal kick.[LNB]29 Birmingham come forward and O'Connor finds himself in space on the edge of the box in front of goal. He shoots but his low effort is easily gathered by James to his right.[LNB]28 Distin puts James under pressure with a sloppy back pass but James clears for a throw in on the left.[LNB]27 Vignal is down injured after he goes in for a 50/50 challenge with Diop in the Birmingham half. He is now up on his feet.[LNB]26 Still no chances as the teams cancel themselves out in the middle of the park.[LNB]24 The game is scrappy at present with no more chances.[LNB]23 Pompey keep good possession before Vignal robs Vanden Borre on the right flank. He runs into the Pompey half and passes towards Jerome in the box but James clears.[LNB]21 Pompey continue to press and Diop tries a shot from the dge of the box in front of goal but sends his effort well wide of Hart's left post.[LNB]20 Belhadj crosses from the left to Wilson on the right edge of the box but he can not control the ball and it goes out for a goal kick.[LNB]18 Birmingham take the throw in. Vignal puts in a cross from the left and Larsson has a free header from six yards out in front of goal but heads over. Best chance by far.[LNB]17 The Blues press again, this time down the left flank and McFadden wins a throw in 15 yards out.[LNB]16 Birmingham take the throw in but McFadden loses the ball and Pompey clear.[LNB]15 Birmingham press down the right and Larsson's cross from the right is cleared for a throw in five yards out on the right.[LNB]14 Kranjcar crosses from 25 yards out on the left but it is overhit and goes out for a goal kick.[LNB]13 Lull. No more chances.[LNB]12 Birmingham break forward quickly and Fahey shoots from the edge of the box but James is down well to his right to save.[LNB]11 Vanden Borre receives the ball to the right of the box. He cuts into the box but shoots well over from 15 yards out.[LNB]10 Ferguson tries to release O'Connor down the right flank but Belhadj wins the ball.[LNB]9 Pompey take the free-kick but Birmingham hold firm and clear upfield.[LNB]8 Birmingham take the free-kick short and give the ball straight to Pompey who gave the ball straight back before the ref blows for a free-kick to Pompey just inside their half.[LNB]7 James is out quickly to collect a cross from the right. Birmingham come again and Jerome wins a free-kick 35 yards out.[LNB]6 Birmingham put the corner in but James clears the ball.[LNB]5 Birmingham win a free-kick 35 yards out on the right after Larsson is fouled. He gets up and fires a great free-kick into the area but Pompey partially clear. The Blues put another cross in from the left and Larsson heads across goal at the far post and the ball goes out for a Birmingham corner on the right.[LNB]4 The game is scrappy at present as neither side can keep possession.[LNB]3 Pompey win a free-kick 35 yards out on the right. Distain takes but the ball is too high for Diop and the ball goes out for a Birmingham throw in on the right.[LNB]2 Jerome has the first shot on goal after intercepting a sloppy Portsmouth pass. He shoots from the edge of the box in front of goal but James is down easily to gather as his shot lacks power.[LNB]1 Birmingham get the game underway.[LNB] The teams are on the pitch. There is a minute's applause for Jack Wiseman, the vice chairman of Birmingham City, before the start.[LNB] Teams - O'Connor is in for Carsley for Birmingham, while Vanden Borre replaces Utaka for Pompey.[LNB] Fancy a bet? Sky Bet go evens for a Birmingham win, 12/5 for the draw and 11/4 for a Pompey victory. I'm going for a 1-1 draw, with Kranjcar to score first, which pays a hamdsome 50-1! What are your views / predictions for tonight's game? Send your views to steve.pass@bskyb.com and I will post up the best throughout the evening.[LNB] Referee - Lee Probert (Wiltshire)[LNB] Teams - Portsmouth: James, Kaboul, Wilson, Distin, Belhadj, Vanden Borre, Diop, Mokoena, Mullins, Kranjcar, Piquionne. Subs: Begovic, Hughes, Kanu, Nugent, Utaka, Basinas, Ward.[LNB] Teams - Birmingham: Hart, Carr, Roger Johnson, Queudrue, Vignal, Larsson, Ferguson, Fahey, McFadden, O'Connor, Jerome. Subs: Maik Taylor, Carsley, Benitez, Phillips, McSheffrey, Parnaby, O'Shea.[LNB] Welcome to St Andrews where Birmingham take on Portsmouth in the Premier League. Both teams will be targeting three points here to bolster their chances of beating the drop. What do you think the outcome will be? Send your views / predictions to steve.pass@bskyb.com and I will post up the best throughout the evening.[LNB]

Source: SKY_Sports