Championship - Birmingham falter at Blackpool

Eurosport - Sat, 24 Jan 20:55:00 2009

DJ Campbell claimed his second goal in as many games for 10-man Blackpool as his former club Birmingham blew the chance to climb into second spot in the Championship, losing 2-0 at Blackpool.

2008-2009 Blackpool-Birmingham Lee Bowyer - 0

Victory would have lifted Alex McLeish's side above Reading and into the automatic promotion places, but first-half strikes from Campbell and midfielder Keith Southern sealed their fate.

Blackpool deserved their first win since Tony Parkes and Steve Thompson were placed in caretaker charge in late December on the strength of their first-half superiority.

Not even the 74th-minute dismissal of substitute Claus Jorgensen - following an off-the-ball challenge on Lee Bowyer that left the former Leeds midfielder needing treatment - could take the gloss off their success.

Birmingham created next to nothing throughout as their winless run in all competitions extended to four games to leave McLeish with much food for thought as he bids to bounce back from last season's relegation.

His men were second best to everything in the first half and nobody impressed more for Blackpool than Campbell.

The diminutive striker, who spent 18 months at St Andrew's between January 2006 and July 2007, is on loan at Blackpool from League One leaders Leicester until the end of the season.

Having scored on his debut for the Seasiders in last weekend's 2-1 defeat at Coventry, Campbell was on the mark again for his new club with a 13th-minute header.

Gary Taylor-Fletcher swung in a teasing cross from the left flank and Campbell, 27, met the ball with a firm header from six yards.

Campbell's celebrations were muted due to his Birmingham links but he constantly worried the visiting rearguard with his pace and movement.

Clear-cut opportunities were scarce but Blackpool were mostly on the front foot and left-back Ian Harte curled a vicious free-kick narrowly wide in the 32nd minute.

Five minutes later, it was 2-0 as Southern was afforded the time and space to collect possession and strike a fierce right-foot shot from 25 yards past Maik Taylor.

Birmingham, for their part, offered next to nothing in the opening 45 minutes despite fielding the likes of Scott Sinclair, Hameur Bouazza and Bowyer.

McLeish replaced Sinclair with James McFadden at half-time and also introduced veteran striker Kevin Phillips soon after following an injury to Scott Parnaby, which led to him being carried off on a stretcher.

Yet Blackpool held firm all too easily and Harte again tried his luck from distance with a long-range piledriver that whistled just wide.

Sebastian Larsson narrowly missed the target with a curling free-kick but there was little for Birmingham's lively supporters to enjoy.

They at least had hope when Blackpool were reduced to 10 men in the 74th minute when Jorgensen caught Bowyer in an off-the-ball clash.

However, Birmingham still could not find a way through as the hosts held on for a thoroughly-deserved victory.

Sporting Life / Eurosport

Comment 1 - 8 of 8

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  1. Now it must be time to get rid of this manager and take­ his rubbish signings with him. Who on earth decided­ Bowyer would be a good signing...i would say hes a­ donkey but he can't­ kick.
    Boo-azza,Sinclair,McFadden...its no wonder their­ respective clubs sold them but why did we have to buy­ the wasters.

    From kop it, on Mon 26 Jan 2:15PM

  2. UP THE POOL!!!!!!!!! fantastic win for us and DJ was­ once again fantastic, That wan$#r bowyer provoked claus­ to punch the bas#$$d in the face you saddo's

    From encyclopeter, on Sun 25 Jan 9:23PM

  3. In a changing and uncertain world it is comforting that­ you can always rely on Birmingham to be @#$%!!

    From steve, on Sun 25 Jan 7:50PM

  4. You are all comedy when it comes to promotion. If you­ were a villa fan (which i doubt) then i beleive you­ would have a good point of view. as for wolves and­ where "wasall" fans as you put it, come into­ it i dont know? Not even in the championship and never­ will be. As for wolves, they are about as likely to go­ up as come straight back down. So to no further a due­ yes at the moment we are @#$% but at least we are still­ 3rd only 2 points behind Reading and 7 behind Wolves so­ don't laugh to much cause it aint over till the gob­ @#$% sings.....

    From MARTIN D, on Sun 25 Jan 6:06PM

  5. ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

    your @#$%, and you­ know you are, your @#$% and you know you are, your @#$%­ and you know you are­ .......................................................­ @#$% ground, @#$% players, rubbish manager, chav fans,­ pathetic media hungry board ( who are looking for a way­ out ) no wonder the villa wolves and even wasall­ fan's on these board find you such comedy­ value!!!!!

    From wills1108, on Sat 24 Jan 7:51PM

  6. shocker 2day big eck, long season,plenty time to­ recover.

    From Gary S, on Sat 24 Jan 5:54PM

  7. come on Blackpool beat the blue noses for us we are top­ of the leauge(WOLVES)

    From hawkinsanthony, on Sat 24 Jan 2:43PM

  8. BLACKPOOL? 0 BIRMINGHAM? 3 HAD LUCK IM A BLUES FAN­ FROM RICHARD111/

    From RichardJ, on Sat 24 Jan 1:53PM
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