At St. Andrews

24th March 2001

Att: 19,733

Di Piedi kept his nerve when released by Efan Ekoku after the Nigerian forward had robbed former Owl Graham Hyde. Wednesday broke away, and with three bearing down on two Birmingham defenders di Piedi timed his run well and slotted home past Ian Bennett to put Wednesday 10 points clear of the drop zone.

The win completed a league double for the Owls, who have now secured their First Division safety after a fine run. They have lost only one of the last eight league games, and after Gilles de Bilde celebrated a recall to the first team with a 24th minute goal, Wednesday seldom looked like losing this game.

Birmingham, as a home side chasing an automatic promotion place, did most of the pressing, especially in the first hour. Surprisingly, though, Geoff Horsfield's 11th goal of the season in the 59th minute failed to inspire a Blues push for victory and instead sparked Wednesday into life.

Unsettled Belgian striker de Bilde had earlier scored his first league goal of the season, and showed all his best qualities on a day that his mind could be excused wandering towards his fellow countrymen at Hampden Park.

It would be a good day all around for de Bilde. He was the best forward on show, his 47th minute run to the byline highlighting the clever footwork and ability which led to his goal. 

Gerald Sibon and the inspirational Trond Soltvedt combined to find the Belgian, who turned David Holdsworth expertly before finshing with a low left-foot drive across Bennett into the far corner from 10 yards.

Soltvedt and fellow former Saint Carlton Palmer were in command in the centre of the park against on-loan Jamie Pollock and Bryan Hughes except for a 15 minute spell at the start of the second half.

That was the home side's best period. Substitute Marcelo headed a Stan Lazaridis corner over from point blank range after 56 minutes and a minute later Horsfield, who had hit the post after a great Lazaridis run and chip after 35 minutes, could only hold his head in his hands when Kevin Pressman somehow turned over his inadvertent touch on another Lazaridis shot.

Flying winger Lazaridis then won a penalty when he was fouled by Ashley Westwood on the edge of the area, but Pressman was only beaten when Horsfield reacted quickest to the goalkeeper's fine block to his right from Darren Purse's penalty.

The penalty followed incessant Birmingham pressure at the start of the second half, which for some reason they failed to follow up.

Frustration increased as the St Andrews crowd could only watch Des Walker and the Palmer-Soltvedt axis regain control.

Indeed, only a fine save from Ian Bennett denied the Owls an earlier winner when Aaron Lescott and Palmer combined to put Soltvedt through, but the City goalkeeper was quickly off his line in the 81st minute.

As Birmingham pressed for a winner di Piedi scored his second winning goal of the month after he sealed the points against Gillingham, and did not object to his booking after taking his no 17 shirt off in celebration. There was still time for Jerry Gill to come close to an equaliser, which would have been undeserved.