Birmingham benefit from Foster care

BIRMINGHAM (AFP) – A Craig Gardner double and an inspired display from goalkeeper Ben Foster helped Birmingham come from behind to register a 2-1 win over Blackburn on Saturday.

A superb penalty save from Morten Gamst Pedersen was one of a string of fine stops from Foster that were equally as important as Gardner’s second-half double following Steven Nzonzi’s headed opener for Blackburn.

Birmingham handed giant Serb striker Nikola Zigic a first start but new signing Matt Derbyshire had to make do with a place on the bench.

Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce made only one change from his side’s opening day win over Everton, Nzonzi replacing the injured David Dunn for a match refereed by 25-year-old Michael Oliver, the youngest official to take charge of a Premier League contest.

Blackburn initially appeared content to play on the break but gradually they began to present problems for their hosts with their balls into the area, and Zigic almost deflected a Morten Gamst Pedersen cross into his own net.

The home fans were offered little to cheer about although there was a rare moment of excitement when Sebastian Larsson’s shot was deflected behind for a corner.

The resulting corner was headed goalwards by Scott Dann but Paul Robinson pulled off a fantastic save to maintain the deadlock.

The opening period had been largely scrappy but the match burst into life after the interval after Zigic conceded a penalty by tugging Christopher Samba’s shirt as they jostled for position ahead of a corner.

Pedersen struck it cleanly but Ben Foster threw himself full length to touch the ball on to the woodwork.

Foster then produced another fine save to keep out a Nzonzi header but the former Manchester United goalkeeper was unable to deny the midfielder a second time when he got on the end of a corner and glanced the ball home at the near post.

Blackburn’s lead was short-lived however with Gardner equalising only three minutes later with a simple tap-in after being picked out by a sublime volley from Scotland winger James McFadden.

Foster pulled off another save to keep out Nikola Kalinic’s low shot and Samba then headed against the post as Blackburn attempted to reclaim the lead.

It was to be Birmingham however who had the final word. With just under 20 minutes left, Gardner unleashed a shot from fully 30 yards that bounced short of the goal yet still found its way past Robinson and into the bottom corner.