Birmingham 2-0 Leicester

By Paul Fletcher BBC Sport at St Andrew's

Birmingham struck two second-half goals to end Leicester's seven-match unbeaten run in the Championship.

Marlon King made it 1-0 from the penalty spot after Andy King brought down Jean Beausejour.

Leicester skipper Matt Mills, who had a first-half effort saved, then saw red for a late tackle on Morgaro Gomis as Blues started to take control.

Chris Wood secured victory with a calm late finish, slotting home from a tight angle after rounding Kasper Schmeichel.

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Leicester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson backs ref on Mills red

It was a fully deserved victory for Blues, whose rebuilt squad are starting to gel under the calm and steady management of Chris Hughton.

But the result is a backwards step for Sven-Goran Eriksson's Leicester, who had not conceded in their previous four games as they strive for the sort of consistency that will bring them their stated goal of promotion .

The Foxes had not conceded in 412 minutes going into the contest, a sequence that stretched back to 10 September, while only Barnsley had scored against Birmingham at St Andrew's in the Championship.

PAUL FLETCHER'S BLOG

“Birmingham and Leicester both radically overhauled their squads in the summer - and on the evidence at St Andrew's on Sunday it is the club which acted out of financial necessity that is starting to look in better shape”

Read more of Paul's blog

Perhaps not surprisingly, chances were at a premium throughout the contest, particularly during an atrocious first half during which neither side appeared to have the invention to open up their opponents.

Birmingham should have broken the deadlock through Steven Caldwell after he connected with a superbly delivered free-kick from Beausejour but the defender headed into the side-netting.

The home side were more than a match for their expensively assembled opponents, although the Foxes did force one save from Boaz Myhill when Mills shot on the turn after the home team failed to clear from a long throw.

The news that the start of the second half was delayed by five minutes so fourth official Kevin Wright could warm-up following an injury to referee Graham Salisbury was easily the most dramatic moment of the afternoon up until that point.

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Chris Hughton agrees with red card

However, Blues came out with a much-improved desire and sense of urgency after the break, with Beausejour striking the post with a thunderous effort before King scored from the spot.

The match then swung further in favour of the home team when Wright red-carded Mills after a late challenge on Gomis where he had both feet off the ground.

The Foxes looked stunned and Eriksson took drastic action, bringing on John Pantsil, Richie Wellens and Jermaine Beckford within 10 minutes of Mills' dismissal.

However, Blues continued to look the most threatening, with Schmeichel saving sharply from in-form striker Wood, who then played King through with an exquisite flick - but the Leicester goalkeeper again rescued his side with a good low save.

Wood struck his eighth goal of the Championship season with his calm finish to secure back-to-back Championship wins for Blues after their victory at Nottingham Forest before the international break.

Lineup, Bookings (2) & Substitutions (5)

Birmingham City

01 Myhill
02 Carr
04 Caldwell
05 Pablo
06 Ridgewell
07 Burke
11 Beausejour Booked (Elliott - 86' )
14 Gomis
18 Fahey
09 King
39 Wood (Zigic - 90' )

Substitutes

13 Doyle
03 Murphy
23 Spector
15 Elliott
19 Zigic

Leicester City

01 Schmeichel
02 Peltier
03 Konchesky
05 Mills Dismissed
06 Bamba
10 King
22 Abe (Wellens - 63' )
23 Danns (Pantsil - 57' )
26 Fernandes
13 Vassell (Beckford - 66' )
35 Nugent

Substitutes

21 Weale
04 Pantsil
17 Johnson
19 Wellens
20 Beckford

Ref: Wright

Att: 17,102

Match Stats

Possession 50 50

Shots

10 5

On target

7 2

Corners

2 5

Fouls

11 9

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +4:13 Full time

Full Time The referee brings the game to a close.

90:00 +3:50

Foul by Keith Fahey on Richie Wellens, free kick awarded. Richie Wellens takes the indirect free kick.

90:00 +3:07

Effort from outside the penalty box by Chris Burke goes wide left of the target.

90:00 +2:28

Jermaine Beckford has a shot and missed to the right of the target.

89:59 Substitution

Substitution (Birmingham) makes a substitution, with Nikola Zigic coming on for Chris Wood.

88:20

Wade Elliott takes a shot. Save by Kasper Schmeichel.

87:57

Unfair challenge on John Pantsil by Wade Elliott results in a free kick. John Pantsil restarts play with the free kick.

85:32 Substitution

Substitution (Birmingham) makes a substitution, with Wade Elliott coming on for Jean Beausejour.

83:31

Marlon King provided the assist for the goal.

83:31 Goal scored

Goal - Chris Wood - Birmingham 2 - 0 Leicester Chris Wood scores a goal from close range to the bottom right corner of the goal. Birmingham 2-0 Leicester.