Aaron McLean scored the winner for Hull as the Tigers came from behind to move up to sixth in the Championship table.

Chris Wood put Birmingham ahead by driving the ball into the bottom corner from just inside the area.

Just after the break Robert Koren volleyed past Boaz Myhill after Cameron Stewart's pass deflected into his path.

McLean latched onto Koren's pass and slotted home for the winner, but goalkeeper Myhill should have saved the low near-post shot.

The win will strengthen Nick Barmby's claim to take the Hull manager's job on a full-time basis. His side were spurred on by the performance of former Manchester United winger Stewart, who tormented Birmingham throughout.

Birmingham's goal came against the run of play after Hull had spurned a number of chances. Blues also survived a penalty appeal when Pablo Obanez brought down Matty Fryatt in the box.

After Koren's goal, Birmingham struggled to respond and could have gone behind when Jack Hobbs nodded over the bar from Koren's right-wing corner.

Despite Hull's domination, the visitors might have snatched a point but Peter Gulacsi thwarted Chris Burke's close-range header.

Hull caretaker manager Nick Barmby: "The ambition [for Hull] is to be up there. The team we've got, they should be believing they can challenge and there's no reason they can't.

"If they show that application week in, week out they've got a great chance. But it's a difficult league and you just need to be more consistent.

"We've asked them for consistency at home and they've managed to win the last two, which is pleasing. I'm really thrilled, it was an important win for us tonight."

Birmingham boss Chris Hughton: "We're on the back of four tough away games now, having gone to Blackpool, Braga, Cardiff and Hull. That's a tough period in any season.

"Over 90 minutes we certainly had enough chances not to lose the game. We're victims of not being clinical enough with the good chances we had and not defending well enough over 90 minutes.

"It's frustrating because, if you look at the chances we've created, we shouldn't have lost the game. But one thing about a difficult time is you've always got the opportunity to put things right and go on another good run."

Lineup, Bookings (4) & Substitutions (4)

Hull City

  • 24 Gulacsi
  • 02 Rosenior
  • 03 Dawson Booked
  • 05 Chester
  • 06 Hobbs
  • 04 McKenna Booked
  • 07 Stewart (Dudgeon - 84' )
  • 08 Evans
  • 10 Koren
  • 09 Mclean Booked
  • 12 Fryatt

Substitutes

  • 01 Basso
  • 15 McShane
  • 19 Dudgeon
  • 14 Cairney
  • 22 Adebola

Birmingham City

  • 01 Myhill
  • 02 Carr
  • 03 Murphy
  • 04 Caldwell
  • 05 Pablo
  • 23 Spector
  • 07 Burke (Rooney - 89' )
  • 15 Elliott
  • 18 Fahey (N'daw - 77' Booked )
  • 09 King
  • 39 Wood (Zigic - 76' )

Substitutes

  • 13 Doyle
  • 08 N'daw
  • 14 Gomis
  • 17 Rooney
  • 19 Zigic
Ref: Naylor
Att: 17,438

Match Stats

Shots

12 11

On target

4 8

Corners

4 6

Fouls

12 9

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +4:59

The match has reached full-time.

90:00 +4:30

Foul by Liam Rosenior on David Murphy, free kick awarded. Steven Caldwell takes the free kick.

90:00 +3:18

Foul by Wade Elliott on Aaron Mclean, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Aaron Mclean.

90:00 +1:32

Headed effort from inside the area by Nikola Zigic misses to the right of the target.

90:00 +1:08

Unfair challenge on Marlon King by Jack Hobbs results in a free kick. David Murphy takes the free kick.

90:00 +0:27

Adam Rooney challenges Corry Evans unfairly and gives away a free kick. Peter Gulacsi takes the free kick.

89:37

A cross is delivered by Adam Rooney, Liam Rosenior makes a clearance.

89:23

David Murphy delivers the ball, clearance made by Jack Hobbs.

89:17

David Murphy delivers the ball, clearance by Liam Rosenior.

88:32 Substitution

Substitution Chris Burke leaves the field to be replaced by Adam Rooney.

85:34

Peter Gulacsi takes the free kick.

85:34 Booking

Booking Caution for Guirane N'Daw.

85:26

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Corry Evans by Guirane N'Daw.

85:21

Centre by David Murphy, clearance made by Andy Dawson.

83:36

Free kick taken by Boaz Myhill.

83:36 Substitution

Substitution Joe Dudgeon comes on in place of Cameron Stewart.

83:36

The referee blows for offside against Matt Fryatt.

82:31

A cross is delivered by Chris Burke, blocked by Andy Dawson. Wade Elliott takes a outswinging corner from the right by-line to the near post, David Murphy takes a shot. Save made by Peter Gulacsi.

81:26

The assistant referee flags for offside against Nikola Zigic. Peter Gulacsi takes the free kick.

79:54

Foul by Stephen Carr on Robert Koren, free kick awarded. Peter Gulacsi takes the free kick.

79:46

Chris Burke delivers the ball, clearance by Liam Rosenior.

77:08

Centre by Guirane N'Daw, clearance by Jack Hobbs. Matt Fryatt gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Jonathan Spector. The ball is delivered by Wade Elliott, Header by Guirane N'Daw from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the target.

76:21

Boaz Myhill takes the free kick.

76:21 Substitution

Substitution (Birmingham) makes a substitution, with Guirane N'Daw coming on for Keith Fahey.

76:21

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Pablo Ibanez by Aaron Mclean.

75:27 Substitution

Substitution Chris Wood leaves the field to be replaced by Nikola Zigic.

71:40

Liam Rosenior sends in a cross, clearance by Pablo Ibanez.

70:43

Boaz Myhill restarts play with the free kick.

70:43 Booking

Booking Andy Dawson goes into the book for unsporting behaviour.

70:36

Andy Dawson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Chris Burke.

69:18

The ball is swung over by Stephen Carr. The assistant referee signals for offside against Chris Wood. Peter Gulacsi takes the free kick.

68:50

A cross is delivered by Wade Elliott, Chris Burke takes a shot. Save by Peter Gulacsi.

67:54

Paul McKenna concedes a free kick for a foul on Keith Fahey. Free kick taken by Steven Caldwell.

66:58

Robert Koren provided the assist for the goal.

66:58 Goal scored

Goal - Aaron Mclean - Hull 2 - 1 Birmingham Aaron Mclean finds the back of the net with a goal from inside the penalty box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Hull 2-1 Birmingham.

65:56

Robert Koren produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that misses to the right of the goal.

65:39

Free kick awarded for a foul by Jonathan Spector on Corry Evans. Paul McKenna restarts play with the free kick.

65:12

Chris Burke takes a shot. Blocked by Corry Evans.

64:26

A cross is delivered by Steven Caldwell, Liam Rosenior manages to make a clearance.

62:08

The assistant referee flags for offside against Stephen Carr. Indirect free kick taken by Peter Gulacsi.

60:44

The ball is swung over by Corry Evans, Pablo Ibanez manages to make a clearance. Shot from just outside the box by Robert Koren goes over the bar.

60:00

Cameron Stewart delivers the ball, clearance by Stephen Carr.

56:38

Cameron Stewart sends in a cross, Jonathan Spector gets a block in. Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Robert Koren, Jack Hobbs produces a header from inside the area that goes over the crossbar.

52:57

A cross is delivered by Chris Burke.

51:52

Pablo Ibanez takes the free kick.

51:52 Booking

Booking Paul McKenna goes into the referee's book.

51:44

Chris Wood fouled by Paul McKenna, the ref awards a free kick.

50:36

Wade Elliott produces a cross, save by Peter Gulacsi.

49:58

Boaz Myhill restarts play with the free kick.

49:58 Booking

Booking Booking for Aaron Mclean for unsporting behaviour.

49:44

Aaron Mclean concedes a free kick for a foul on Steven Caldwell.

49:14

The assistant referee flags for offside against David Murphy. Peter Gulacsi restarts play with the free kick.

47:57

Marlon King produces a drilled right-footed shot from 18 yards. Peter Gulacsi makes a save.

46:13

The assist for the goal came from Cameron Stewart.

46:13 Goal scored

Goal - Robert Koren - Hull 1 - 1 Birmingham Robert Koren grabs a goal from inside the penalty box to the bottom left corner of the goal. Hull 1-1 Birmingham.

45:01

The game restarts for the second half.

45:00 +1:08

The ref blows to end the first period.

45:00 +0:06

The ball is delivered by Wade Elliott.

44:31

Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Wade Elliott, clearance by Jack Hobbs.

43:22

Effort on goal by Cameron Stewart from inside the penalty box misses to the right of the target.

41:28

The referee blows for offside against Aaron Mclean. Steven Caldwell takes the indirect free kick.

41:05

Chris Wood challenges Andy Dawson unfairly and gives away a free kick. Peter Gulacsi restarts play with the free kick.

40:25

The official flags Marlon King offside. Peter Gulacsi restarts play with the free kick.

39:44

The referee blows for offside against Matt Fryatt. Indirect free kick taken by Boaz Myhill.

39:26

Cameron Stewart delivers the ball. The ball is crossed by Liam Rosenior.

37:58

Foul by Marlon King on Andy Dawson, free kick awarded. Jack Hobbs takes the free kick.

37:17

The ball is sent over by Stephen Carr, Marlon King takes a shot. Save by Peter Gulacsi.

36:03

The assistant referee flags for offside against Marlon King. James Chester takes the indirect free kick.

33:26

Assist on the goal came from Marlon King.

33:26 Goal scored

Goal - Chris Wood - Hull 0 - 1 Birmingham Chris Wood scores a goal from deep inside the penalty box to the bottom left corner of the goal. Hull 0-1 Birmingham.

32:45

Foul by Liam Rosenior on Wade Elliott, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Boaz Myhill.

32:36

The ball is swung over by Cameron Stewart, Steven Caldwell manages to make a clearance.

32:14

Centre by Marlon King, Andy Dawson makes a clearance.

31:35

Robert Koren has an effort at goal from outside the area missing to the wide left of the goal.

29:28

David Murphy challenges Robert Koren unfairly and gives away a free kick. Robert Koren takes the free kick.

26:55

Shot by Cameron Stewart from 12 yards. Save by Boaz Myhill.

23:51

Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Robert Koren, James Chester gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Steven Caldwell. Boaz Myhill restarts play with the free kick.

22:31

Wade Elliott takes a shot. Save by Peter Gulacsi. Outswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Wade Elliott, Corry Evans makes a clearance.

21:11

Matt Fryatt produces a left-footed shot from deep inside the penalty box which goes wide of the left-hand upright.

19:28

Shot from just outside the penalty box by Corry Evans misses to the left of the target.

17:58

A cross is delivered by Liam Rosenior.

17:12

Robert Koren delivers the ball in from the corner, Wade Elliott makes a clearance.

15:38

Free kick awarded for a foul by Paul McKenna on Keith Fahey. Stephen Carr takes the free kick.

15:13

Centre by Wade Elliott, James Chester manages to make a clearance.

15:00

The ball is crossed by Chris Burke, Jack Hobbs manages to make a clearance.

13:52

Cameron Stewart delivers the ball, blocked by Steven Caldwell. Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Robert Koren from the left by-line, James Chester produces a header from deep inside the six-yard box that clears the bar.

13:14

Chris Wood challenges Andy Dawson unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Peter Gulacsi.

12:36

The referee blows for offside against Corry Evans. Indirect free kick taken by Boaz Myhill.

10:41

Robert Koren takes a shot from 25 yards. Save made by Boaz Myhill.

8:47

Marlon King is ruled offside. Peter Gulacsi takes the free kick.

7:54

Outswinging corner taken by Wade Elliott, clearance by Jack Hobbs.

7:29

Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Wade Elliott, Chris Wood takes a shot. Save made by Peter Gulacsi.

6:47

Centre by David Murphy, clearance by Andy Dawson. Wade Elliott takes a outswinging corner to the near post, clearance made by Liam Rosenior.

4:11

Chris Burke produces a left-footed shot from just outside the box that goes wide right of the goal.

2:36

The assistant referee flags for offside against Marlon King. James Chester takes the indirect free kick.

1:57

Centre by Wade Elliott.

1:19

Foul by Aaron Mclean on David Murphy, free kick awarded. Boaz Myhill takes the free kick.

0:19

Aaron Mclean is caught offside. Indirect free kick taken by Boaz Myhill.

0:00

The referee gets the match started.

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