BIRMINGHAM  0    BLACKBURN R.   2

                              Bent - 41

                              Duff - 53

At St Andrews

14th March 2001

Att: 29,150

After blitzing both Birmingham and Bolton on their travels in recent weeks, Graeme Souness side have stormed into pole position to join Fulham in the Premiership next season.

Rovers are now behind Bolton only on goal difference and they still hold two games in hand over their Lancashire rivals.

Birmingham may have matched their opponents for endeavour but they were unable to compete with their attacking verve. Marcus Bent and Matt Jansen were in inspirational mood.

Prior to Bent's opener shortly before the half time interval, Blackburn had gone close to scoring on three occasions.

First, Jansen's astute pass released Keith Gillespie down the right flank and although the Northern Ireland winger's first touch was a good one, he blazed wildly over with just Ian Bennett to beat.

Bent then profitted from some wonderful work on the opposite wing by Damien Duff, who strode around three challenges before prodding the ball through to the former Sheffield United man, but the alert Bennett smothered his close range shot.

Within seconds the irrepressible Jansen turned away from his marker 40 yards from goal before striding forward and unleashing a fierce left foot drive which flew narrowly wide.

Birmingham twice thought they should have been awarded a penalty in that time, as Geoff Horsfield first felt Craig Short's arms on his shoulders before being brushed aside by Stig Bjornebye. Referee Uriah Rennie was unmoved each time.

But the goal always looked more likely to arrive at the other end and so it proved, as Gillespie whipped in a dangerous low cross from which Bent scored with the aid of a deflection off Peter Atherton.

Eight minutes after the interval the game was effectively over, as Duff produced a goal of outstanding quality.

The tricky winger chested down a loose ball ten yards inside the Birmingham half before embarking on a run which took him through two challenges and ended with a precise low shot beneath Bennett.

Still Blackburn pushed forward in search of more goals. Garry Flitcroft fizzed a shot just off target from 20 yards, before Jansen's cross picked out Bent, whose header was brilliantly saved by Bennett.

Birmingham weren't completely overwhelmed, however, and might have found a way back into the game had Brad Friedel not reacted so smartly to beat away a drive from Curtis Woodhouse.

But it wasn't to be their night, a fact emphasised when Darren Purse was sent off in the final minute for elbowing Jansen.