Birmingham City 2 Nottingham Forest 0 - Post analysis
Feb 16 2009 By Andy Walker
preferred central berth, linked up with Birmingham substitute Cameron Jerome wonderfully on the left wing, danced his way into the opponent’s area and chipped a beautifully-weighted ball beyond the reach of Forest goalkeeper Paul Smith and into the far corner.
During the opening stages of Saturday’s fixture, Birmingham briefly threatened to collapse in the manner they did against Burnley the weekend prior.
Visiting forward Nathan Tyson was an early threat and when he played a low ball across the face of Birmingham’s goal in the 5th minute, the Nottingham Forest captain James Perch looked certain to prod it home. Fortunately for Birmingham, he didn’t.
From there on it was Birmingham who were enjoying the bulk of goal-scoring opportunities, through the unlikely source of Liam Ridgewell.
The Birmingham defender had two headers kept out by Smith in the first-half and volleyed a close-range rebound from a well-hit Sebastian Larsson free-kick wayward.
While Forest struggled with the physicality of Ridgewell so too they did with Bent’s bulk. The veteran of 11 clubs agonisingly directed Ridgewell’s lofted header on to the top of the crossbar in the 38th minute.
The second-half continued in the same vein and Scott Sinclair supplied a cross that narrowly evaded Bent and Ridgewell.
Even after Birmingham’s two goals had seemingly wrapped up victory, Carlos Costly Molina, a 76th minute substitute for Bent, almost netted his first goal for his new club. Sinclair’s free-kick from the left found the Honduran rising but he could only direct the effort over.
St Valentine’s Day never really looked like bringing an afternoon of broken hearts for Birmingham.
Scorers: Bent (61), Fahey (75).
Birmingham City (4-4-2): Maik Taylor, Larsson, Martin Taylor, Ridgewell, Murphy, Sinclair, Bowyer, Carsley, Fahey (Bouazza, 85), Bent (Costly, 76), Phillips (Jerome, 31). Subs: Doyle, Queudrue.
Nottingham Forest (3-4-3): Smith, Chambers, Morgan, Wilson, Moloney (McClearly, 67), Perch, Cohen, McGugan, Heath (Breckin, 83), Tyson, Garner (Newbold, 67). Subs: Gamble, Thornhill.
Referee: Graham Laws (Tyne and Wear).
Bookings: Blues – Bowyer (foul); Nottingham – Perch (foul).
Attendance: 17,631.
