McLeish: Gardner deserved red card

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish admitted Craig Gardner dived after the midfielder was sent off in a 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Gardner was booked for reacting aggressively to a Jamie O’Hara tackle in the English Premier League match at St Andrews, before receiving a second yellow and his marching orders for going to ground easily under pressure from Jody Craddock just 29 minutes into the game.

And McLeish said he was disappointed to lose Gardner to suspension as Birmingham look to ensure their Premier League survival.

“Craig dived,” McLeish said. “But I was thinking he was diving to get out of the way because he had been booted about three or four times just before that.”

“A Richard Stearman tackle on him on the edge of the box never got a booking and then O’Hara caught him.”

“I think he was diving to get out of the way but we don’t condone the diving element, and especially when you are on a yellow card.”

“I was more annoyed at the first yellow card Craig got. It put him under pressure by reacting to a tackle.”

“Craig is devastated in the dressing room and at half-time he has apologised to his team-mates and we now miss him for a couple of games.”

After trailing to Steven Fletcher’s early penalty, Birmingham were fortunate to equalise through Sebastian Larsson in the 27th minute, before holding on for a valuable point.

The draw leaves Wolves second bottom, one point from safety with three matches remaining.

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy paid tribute to Birmingham after they managed to shut out his team, despite being a player short.

“It is a missed opportunity against 10 men but they have stuck at it and not given us too many chances,” McCarthy said.

“If we had had loads of chances after they went down to 10 men, I might have said it was more of an opportunity squandered but we didn’t.”

“We didn’t have what was necessary to break the 10 men down unfortunately.”

“But if I had looked at the four games left and thought we could get a point away from home, I’d not be unhappy and then we’ve got to do the job at home in the remaining games.”

“I still think it’s going to go to the last day of the season.”