At Edgeley Park  

17th March 2001

Att: 7,176

Kuqi's double strike fired his side two points clear of the relegation drop zone and dented Birmingham's automatic promotion hopes after Trevor Francis' men succumbed to their second defeat of the week.

Kuqi's headers after 41 and 82 minutes were his third goals in two games and he was a constant menace to the Blues' defence throughout the match.

And the victory was a sweet tonic for County boss Andy Kilner in a troubled week that saw him lose star midfielder Kevin Cooper and resist chairman Brendan Elwood's plans to bring in former Liverpool boss Roy Evans into the club in an advisory role.

It is their first league win since New Year's Day, and their fourth successive victory over the Blues here, and third clean sheet on the trot in a ground that City boss Trevor Francis will not want to leave quickly enough.

County started strongly and Glynn Hurst, making his full home debut after his recent move from Ayr United, almost opened the scoring after just one minute when his flying header from Shane Nicholson's free-kick flashed just wide.

But promotion-chasing City suddenly sparked into life after 14 minutes when Martin Grainger curled a dangerous free-kick from 25 yards narrowly wide with County goalkeeper Andy Dibble scrambling frantically across his goal.

And less than a minute later Dibble had to save well at the feet of Geoff Horsfield after the former Fulham man linked well with Worthington Cup fall-guy Andrew Johnson in the box.

Horsfield returned the favour to Johnson after 24 minutes when he headed on for the youngster to run in on goal but he dragged his shot wide.

Birmingham were to rue their missed opportunities five minutes before the break as County laid siege to Ian Bennett's goal with Hurst going close twice, before Kuqi rose highest to power home an Ali Gibb corner.

The first half ended on a sour note when Johnson was stretchered off with a head injury after an off-the-ball clash that was missed by the referee. The young striker lay motionless for several minutes and was attended to by physios, ambulance staff and a concerned Francis.

Both sides struggled for dominance at the start of the second half but Kuqi almost doubled the lead after 54 minutes when his flying header was cleared off the line by former Sheffield United ace Curtis Woodhouse.

Mass confusion in the Birmingham defence almost gifted County a second when Darren Purse attempted a suicidal header back to his keeper after Bennett had sliced his clearance. Highly-rated youngster Aaron Wilbraham raced in but his lob drifted wide of Bennett's far post.
 
City were still a threat and Horsfield saw his snap shot on the turn take a deflection and drift agonisingly wide before David Holdsworth's header was cleared off the line. Birmingham were camped in the County half.

That was as close as the Blues came to grabbing an equaliser and Kuqi wrapped up the points when he met Nicholson's free-kick after 82 minutes with a flying header at the back post that gave Bennett no chance.