Bowyer lifts Birmingham away from relegation zone

Birmingham climbed away from the Premier League relegation zone on Saturday as Lee Bowyer’s goal clinched a 1-0 win over Fulham at St Andrews.

Alex McLeish’s side are now four points above the bottom three after ending Fulham’s five-game unbeaten run.

The Blues were fortunate to survive a second half barrage from Fulham but McLeish won’t care about that after his team extended their unbeaten run to four matches.

Fulham had the first chance when Bobby Zamora cut in from the right before flashing his shot well wide.

Zoltan Gera was next to threaten but his header from Clint Dempsey’s cross failed to test Joe Hart.

After a sluggish start, James McFadden created Birmingham’s opening opportunity with a perfect cross towards Cameron Jerome but the striker’s header was straight at Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.

Bowyer fared much better as he put Birmingham ahead in the 16th minute.

The midfielder has always had an eye for a smart finish and he claimed his fourth goal of the season with a hooked shot over Schwarzer after McFadden’s clever pass opened up the Fulham defence.

In wet and windy conditions, it was hard for either team to piece together much fluent play. But Fulham pressed harder as they searched for an equaliser and Birmingham centre-backs Scott Dann and Roger Johnson both made brave blocks to deny Paul Konchesky and then Gera.

Fulham dominated possession after half-time and were able to push Birmingham back for long periods. A fine move saw Zamora chest down Konchesky’s cross to Gera, but the midfielder scuffed his shot wide.

The Cottagers were pressing with increasing urgency and Hart had to tip over a powerful Dempsey header from Stephen Kelly’s centre.

Fulham winger Damien Duff, on as a substitute, shot wide in the closing stages and Dempsey was just off-target with an overhead kick as Birmingham held on.