At Oakwell

13th January 2001

Att: 13,631

Blues bounced back to winning ways with their first win in six matches.

Although they only recorded a one-goal winning margin the difference between these two sides was as deep as the Grand Canyon.

Blues regained some sort of revenge for their play-off defeat last season by recording a notable league double over the Tykes and they will not have any more comfortable days than this.

Without flu victims Ian Bennett and ten-goal leading scorer Dele Adebola they raced into the lead courtesy of Marcelo's headed goal, his fifth of the season.

Michael Johnson headed his fourth before half-time, and it was followed by a memorable solo effort from Stan Lazaridis - only his second of the season.

Blues were in total control throughout although the Tykes did manage to pull two back through last-season's play-off menace Bruce Dyer on 74 minutes and Lee Jones nine minutes later in what was a nervy ending for the away side.

Blues named goalkeeper Kevin Poole in place of Ian Bennett.

Winger Stan Lazaridis replaced Bryan Hughes and Brazilian striker Marcello came in for his first start since October in place of Adebola.

In a fast and frantic opening neither side was able to gain the advantage.

But Blues could have found themselves ahead after only four minutes when Marcello swivelled on the penalty spot to a difficult ball.

The striker failed to get his shot down, however, and it sailed over the bar.

Birmingham soon started to exert strong pressure and in the 12th minute Barnsley were indebted to superb defending in his own six-yard box by O'Callaghan, who managed to slide in and divert the ball away from Lazaridis who was threatening on the far post.

Two minutes later Blues should have gone ahead after superb work by Ndlovu on the right edge of the penalty area.

His cross for Lazaridis on the far post was deflected wide for a corner by Morgan with the faintest of touches.

But the small travelling army of Blues fans did not have to wait long before their side took a deserved lead.

Grainger expertly delivered a swirling cross from the left and Marcelo netted a superb header from ten yards for his fifth goal of the season.

Blues were looking awesome and would have been two ahead just three minutes later but for O'Connor's missed penalty.

Barnsley midfielder Alex Neil was somewhat harshly adjudged to have shoulder-barged Lazaridis off the ball and referee Pike awarded the spot-kick.

O'Connor stepped up and sent his low shot to Miller's left but the goalkeeper got down well and held the effort at the second attempt.

O'Connor's miss merely added to a sorry Blues statistic - it was their fifth fluffed spot-kick of the season.

Barnsley managed to force, more by luck than endeavour, their first corner on 23 minutes.

Neil's delivery was headed clear by Johnson but with the ball rebounding to him he was able to cross again.

The ball was deflected in Barnsley's favour and Sheron managed to get in a mishit snap-shot which dipped for the top corner before Poole brilliantly tipped over the bar.

Birmingham were unable to clear their lines from the resultant corner before Corbo unleashed a 25-yard drive which Poole gathered with ease.

Referee Pike was not endearing himself to the home crowd with a series of decisions in favour of either Lazaridis or Marcello.

Another in favour of Marcello allowed Grainger to riffle in a 25-yard free-kick which nevertheless should not have troubled Miller.

But the Barnsley keeper failed to hold the shot and it went behind for a corner.

Barnsley managed to clear the first set-piece but from the second Blues went 2-0 up.

Eaden's superbly delivered cross from the left met with poor defending and Johnson was able to steal it at the far post and send his header past Miller.

Barnsley looked poor at best and an awful cross-field ball from Barker, which drifted out of play with not a red shirt near it, seemed to sum up their afternoon.

Barnsley made two changes during the interval in an effort to get back into the match, replacing Sheron and Corbo with Ripley and Jones.

But they found themselves three goals behind within moments of the restart.

Aussie flier Lazaridis picked up Grainger's ball 40 yards out and, surrounded by four defenders, he dropped his right shoulder and dummied inside.

Then he raced into the area before chipping a superb goal over Miller.

Barnsley were now playing for pride and produced their first real shot on goal on 53 minutes when Neil unleashed a well struck 20-yarder that flew into the empty seats behind the Birmingham goal.

Substitute Jones then collected a neat Shipperley flick only to drive eight yards wide from 20 yards.

Blues were looking for their fourth goal and former Barnsley defender Nicky Eaden almost provided it.

Grainger's corner from the right was half-cleared but fell kindly to Eaden who fired the ball over the bar from 20 yards to the great delight of the fans who used to cheer him.

Blues sent on young Andrew Johnson for Peter Ndlovu on 71 minutes as the home side replaced McClare with former Wolves midfielder Jeff Thomas.

And within a minute Barnsley clawed a goal back when Jones' shot from outside the area was parried by Poole only for Dyer to dart in and send the ball home.

Thomas was booked on 77 minutes for a foul.

Chettle followed Thomas into the book for a foul on Andrew Johnson.

But Barnsley pulled another goal back on 85 minutes Jones intercepted a misplaced pass and completed a clinical finish.