Foster earns McLeish praise

Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish was thrilled with goalkeeper Ben Foster’s heroics during their 1-0 win over Chelsea on Saturday.

Foster brilliantly denied Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and Branislav Ivanovic as Lee Bowyer’s strike was enough to condemn Chelsea to their third defeat in four games.

McLeish said: “Ben Foster has come in and been fabulous for us.”

“We have a great rearguard and a great goalkeeper. I think all the players will be tired tonight but they will be pleased with a brilliant result today.”

“It was marvellous because we were under pressure in the second half. The ball has been taken to hospital I have heard because it was kicked that much.”

“We had to mount the rear guard and it was all hands to the pump.”

Foster’s performance in the Birmingham goal was excellent and McLeish was delighted with the rest of his side as Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea failed to find the breakthrough.

McLeish added: “They have players who can turn a game in an instant and they nearly did it a couple of times today.”

“We stood resolute and the players were fantastic in their commitment and dedication.”

“You think you can win a game but you never know if it’s achievable against a marvellous outfit such as Chelsea.”

Lee Bowyer has featured intermittently for Birmingham this season and McLeish was thrilled to see the veteran net the winner.

McLeish said: “It was a great goal, a lovely cross. Bowyer is famous for making those runs and it was great to see him getting on the end of that one.”

“We’ve not seen much of Bowyer this season but it was a perfectly timed run and I thought, ‘Does he have the composure to finish past a great keeper like Cech?’. He did, and it was a marvellous finish.”