Birmingham back down to earth in West Brom loss
Newly crowned League Cup winners Birmingham were brought down to earth with a bump on Saturday, losing 3-1 to West Bromwich Albion at St Andrews.
- Agence France-Presse
- Updated: March 06, 2011 10:38 AM IST
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Newly crowned League Cup winners Birmingham were brought down to earth with a bump on Saturday, losing 3-1 to West Bromwich Albion at St Andrews.
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Only six days after Alex McLeish's side stunned Arsenal at Wembley, the Blues were left contemplating a potentially costly home defeat that drags them back towards the relegation quagmire.
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Second-half goals from Youssouf Mulumbu, James Morrison and Paul Scharner secured the win for Albion, giving new manager Roy Hodgson the first victory of his three-match reign following last month's dismissal of Roberto Di Matteo.
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Birmingham's solitary goal came from Jean Beausejour.
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A furious McLeish pointed the finger at his team's woeful defending following the defeat.
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"Schoolboy defending, the goals were lamentable," McLeish told Sky Sports. "We were devoid of inspiration. We huffed and puffed without creating too much up front."
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The win saw West Brom leapfrog Birmingham into 16th place, and left the Blues in 17th spot, just two points clear of the drop zone.
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After a lacklustre first half, the game exploded into life after the break with West Brom drawing first blood through Mulumbu on 46 minutes.
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Good work by substitute Peter Odemwingie created the opening for Mulumbu, who darted into the Birmingham area and coolly lifted his shot over the advancing Ben Foster to make it 1-0.
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The Baggies lead was short-lived however, as Birmingham swept upfield almost immediately to level through Chilean attacker Beausejour, turning in a cross from the right flank by Lee Bowyer.
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West Brom though were back in front within 10 minutes, courtesy of a spectacular individual effort from Morrison, the midfielder lifting the ball beyond marker Curtis Davies before slamming home from 10 yards.
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Scharner made the game safe for West Brom on 72 minutes when the Austrian international headed in from the tightest of angles after a perfectly flighted cross from Morrison.
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It could get worse for Birmingham later on Saturday, where a win for West Ham over Stoke will see them fall into the bottom three.
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In Saturday's other main fixtures, Arsenal can cut the gap on leaders Manchester United to just one point if they defeat Sunderland at the Emirates.
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Manchester City meanwhile will be expected to deepen the woe at bottom club Wigan, whom they entertain at Eastlands in the late kick-off.
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Manchester United face Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday while champions Chelsea are playing Blackpool on Monday.
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