Daryl Murphy’s ninth goal of the season saw Town to a 1-0 home victory over Birmingham. The Blues might have added to their lead in the second half with Paul Taylor twice coming close with curling efforts from just outside the area.

Taylor replaced Stephen Hunt in an otherwise unchanged Town side but with new loan signing Jonny Williams missing from the 18, having picked up a minor knock in training on Friday. The Blues lined-up in a 4-3-3 formation with Taylor up front with Daryl Murphy and Frank Nouble.

Town started brightly, Murphy sending a dangerous ball across the Birmingham box but behind his team-mates, however, the first significant chance fell to the visitors in the third minute. Nikola Zigic’s header found Lee Novak on the left just inside the box but the striker mis-hit his shot well wide.

There was a scare for the Blues in the 11th minute when Zigic blocked Tommy Smith's clearance and sent Federico Macheda away on goal. Fortunately for Town, Christophe Berra got back to stab the ball away from the on-loan Manchester United frontman.

The visitors went close in the 18th minute when Zigic found Novak on the edge of the area from deep on the right. The ex-Huddersfield man hit a powerful low shot just wide of Dean Gerken’s right post.

Town had most of the ball in a scrappy first half hour but with Birmingham having created the game’s only openings. The Blues’ first opportunity of the afternoon came right on 30 when Berra headed just wide from Aaron Cresswell’s freekick on the left.

On 36 Taylor sent in a dangerous cross from the right which was cleared, then Cresswell played in Nouble on the left of the area but he scraped his shot through to the keeper under pressure.

But a Town goal was only two minutes away. Having been found in space on the right by Taylor, Nouble whipped over a low ball which flashed across the Birmingham six-yard box past five defenders - Aaron Martin completely missing his kick - before reaching Murphy at the far post, where the Irishman tapped home his ninth goal of the season.

Prior to the restart Zigic was shown a yellow card having continued an ongoing dialogue with the referee Keith Stroud for too long.

Town continued to push for a second in the first half’s remaining minutes, Luke Chambers seeing a cross-shot blocked having left a defender for dead, but were unable to add to their lead.

The Blues had had more of the ball than the visitors during a scruffy half but hadn’t seriously threatened until shortly before the goal, which Birmingham will feel they ought to have defended much better.

The Midlanders, who switched Paul Caddis for on-loan Liverpool winger Jordon Ibe at the break, will also believe they should have made more of their earlier opportunities.

Five minutes after the restart, Jay Tabb headed the second half’s first opportunity to Birmingham keeper Darren Randolph from a Taylor cross on the right. A minute later Nouble, Town’s biggest threat in the first half, made way for Paul Anderson having suffered a knock.

Moments later, Town the Blues having switched to 4-4-2, the dangerous Taylor forced Randolph to save well to his left with a curling 25-yard effort which otherwise would have nestled in the corner of the net.

Ibe shot straight at Gerken on 57, then a minute later Taylor curled another shot just wide of Randolph’s left post. On the hour, Jonathan Spector was booked for a foul on Murphy.

Birmingham should have got back on terms in the 63rd minute after Smith lost out to sub Chris Burke, who sent over a low cross from the right, which Novak somehow put over the bar from a couple of yards just beyond the far post.

Blues skipper Chambers curled a shot just wide after cutting in from the right in the 68th minute, Hunt taking over from Tabb, who was warmly applauded off, soon after.

Spector almost gifted Town a second goal in the 77th minute, Anderson seizing on his poor backpass. The Blues’ midfielder took the ball wide past Randolph but the keeper did well to get down to his right to save.

On 82 Cresswell nodded Green’s cross from the right into the ground and into Randolph’s arms, the ball having evaded Murphy ahead of him.

With five minutes remaining Taylor was switched for Tyrone Mings, the striker, a constant threat to the Birmingham backline, receiving a standing ovation from the Portman Road crowd. As the game moved into its final two minutes Skuse was booked for a foul on Emyr Huws.

Just prior to the fourth official holding up his board to signal four additional minutes, Murphy hit a low shot from the left through to Randolph.

Town saw out the remaining minutes comfortably to claim three points which, with previously sixth-placed Reading drawing with eight-man Yeovil, keeps them very much in the play-off hunt.

Having perhaps been fortunate to be in front at half-time with the visitors spurning a couple of decent chances, the Blues were in control after the break and man of the match Taylor in particular was unfortunate not to add to the lead.

The result sees the Blues climb to ninth, four points behind Wigan, who leapt ahead of the Royals and into the final play-off place.

Town: Gerken, Chambers (c), Smith, Berra, Cresswell, Skuse, Green, Tabb (Hunt 68), Taylor (Mings 88), Murphy, Nouble (Anderson 52). Unused: Loach, Wordsworth, Richardson, Ebanks-Blake.

Birmingham: Randolph; Spector, Martin, Packwood, Robinson, Caddis (Ibe 46), Huws, Lee, Novak (Howard 79), Macheda (Burke 59), Zigic. Unused: Doyle, Shinnie, Adeyemi, Blackett. Referee: Keith Stroud (Hampshire). Att: 15,596 (Birmingham: 512).

Photo: Action Images

buddsterblue added 13:14 - Mar 2 Well done nothing beats a win but please I'm not the only one that sees tabb run around like his on a merry go round play hospital balls constantly to his team mates and every time he received the ball insisted on turning round and playing backwards? Hard worker yes, footballer that knows his next pass not at all!
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truthhurts added 13:33 - Mar 2 I always look on the positive side when it comes to Town, sometimes when it isnt always justified. Moaning about everything under the sun just isnt my thing. BUT the game yesterday bored me to tears, especially first half. This is how its been for a good few weeks/months now. I fully appreciate being hard to beat is a good thing but style of play is arguably more important. I have had a season ticket for about 17 years now and also go to a fair few away games. I know there are fans who have seen the team for longer but i think i have been around long enough to have valid opinions... Basically we will go nowhere with this method of play. I can't see a 1-0 being good enough against Wigan for example. WE WILL BE HARD TO BEAT IF WINNING 2 OR 3 NIL. Please be more expansive and get those bums on seats again.... In my years of watching Town, never have i seen us be so boring on the eye. This isnt our way!!!l

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blueboy1981 added 16:24 - Mar 2 thruthhurts ............. totally agree with you.
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blueboy1981 added 16:31 - Mar 2 ...... although we play a boring style of Football and the entertainment value for anyone nearing a purist is sadly lacking - if Taylor is in the team, he is a spark that is capable of igniting, thus will always put a few more bums on seats.
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stevelincsexile added 18:28 - Mar 2 I was expecting the worse on the drive down Saturday but I am quietly optimistic now. It took a while for the match to really start but it was good to see threats from the flanks and every time Taylor had the ball you thought something could happen. Personally I would play a five man midfield of Taylor, Green, Skuse, Williams and Hunt if Williams is as good as I hope that lineup could be worth watching.

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Steelmonkey added 18:50 - Mar 2 Taylor, once again given MOM. No more to be said, apart from well done lads, coyb's.
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TimmyH added 19:27 - Mar 2 @truthhurts - if you've been a season ticket holder for 17 years, surely the 'bored to tears' would have expanded into last season as well? although I'm not a season ticket holder I watched 4 games last season and they were all poorish quality games, agree with what you say and personally believe with Ipswich Mick's run of promoting clubs to the Championship will come to an end.

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bohslegend added 19:29 - Mar 2 Taylor was excellent yesterday although no goal to cap it off from a few chances. I'm sure when he gets 100% fit he'll be one of the best Championship players around. Lots of glimpses of his ability yesterday and I hope it is only the start of what he's fully capable of. Nouble was also very good yesterday. How a young lad of 22 years can be mentally strong enough to put up with some of the hateful abuse he's been receiving from so-called Ipswich fans is beyond me. That boy will get better and better and a few on here will wonder how/why they felt it proper to thrash him like that. I though Berra was immaculate yesterday. Novak and Zigic are a handful any day, but our boys at the back were solid. The midfield trio of Green, Skuse and Tabb were hungry, energetic and willing to work extremely hard throughout the game, this IMO made Birmingham look very ordinary. We are now 9th in the league - still chasing 6th (or perhaps even 5th if Forest as I suspect are starting to wobble). The end DOES justify the means. It will be interesting to hear the opinions of the haters if we get to the play offs, but i wouldnt be surprised whatever they say anyway because I can't understand how they can be unhappy with top half all season after the struggles of recent years.

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halsteadblue added 19:46 - Mar 2 Agree with all the posts re taylor and you realy have to ask yourselves if only mick had given him a good decent run in the team what and where we may of been in the league. now we need to go on a good run and I think with taylor and Williams both in the team next week I believe we can COYB.............keep the faith and get behind the boys we have 13 games to go with some cracking games at home to look forward to,wigan derby and forrest are going to be our 3 cup finals and on that note I hope the powers to be do something about the ticket prices for all our remaining games we need bums on seats to get PR rocking again...........COYB

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blueboy1981 added 19:48 - Mar 2 bohslegend - good post - until you had to spoil it by being sarcastic towards others who have a different opinion to yourself. No one I know is unhappy with the League position we currently occupy - if you read posts correctly people are unhappy with the current style of play of MM - which if continued will not take us forward. If this is all part of stabilisation, then fine, but most of us suspect not - and cannot see this style of play taking us forward in the future. Anyone would have to be a super optimist to think otherwise.

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JWM added 19:58 - Mar 2 Blueboy You say you are not unhappy with the current league position we occupy but then you say that with this style of football we will not go forward. Cast your mind back to last season and where we were when Mick arrived and now compare that to this season. Doesn't this totally disprove your own arguement somewhat? This style of football has taken us from relegation fodder to top 10 within a year! That's real progress wouldn't you say?

1

TimmyH added 20:07 - Mar 2 top 6 when Mick took over last season (from Nov-May) with that 'shambles' of a team that PJ left us with (not my quote) - this season so far 9th with the same style so no that's not progress.
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blueboy1981 added 20:37 - Mar 2 JWM ....... of course we all know that we are better situated than last season (and after Evans paying MM £1million - so we should be) - BUT if you, or anyone thinks the current style of play and entertainment on show, will take OUR Club forward any further you are well off the mark. For one thing, people who understand the game and want to see Football played as it should be just won't tolerate it and will NOT pay to see it - hence crowd numbers tail off, and we don't need that. This is not the ITFC way - we are reknown for playing the game as it should be. What I will say is all good team building starts from the back, and you stop conceeding - MM has largely done that without doubt. And it needed to be done - but we must not stay 'solely' in this mode of operation. The next step in terms of progress would obviously be the Play Offs / Promotion - and anyone who thinks our current style would even see us survive - are certainly deluded. But we cross that bridge when / if it happens !! - and yes, we have made progress in terms of League position to date.

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JWM added 21:02 - Mar 2 Top 6 when Mick took over!?! So why did PJ get the sack then?
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TimmyH added 21:13 - Mar 2 We would have made 6th position from when Mick took over to the end of the season, obviously not 6th when Mick started!
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JWM added 21:19 - Mar 2 So we made progress under micks style of football! Thanks for agreeing with me!
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Steelmonkey added 21:19 - Mar 2 bohslegend - Birmingham City are a very ordinary Championship side.
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TimmyH added 21:28 - Mar 2 Agreeing with what!?! - same style from last season under Mick to this season, so hows that progress, are you talking in riddles? - when replying to my posts try and read them completely I did indicate in brackets the reference to 6th although the initial wording might have been misleading but you obviously were selective on that.
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JWM added 21:39 - Mar 2 But forgive me in thinking that this season isn't over yet!
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thebeat added 21:48 - Mar 2 Same old people sticking up for the same old players because they think it makes them more knowledgeable about the game because they can SEE what these players offer that we "moaners" cant. Ive already stated this but i watched Nouble yesterday and the stats i put are correct.I saw it. He won 5 headers,3 of them unchallenged, he lost the ball twice to a defender, did a Nouble special toe punt when he had time to get a shot off, won a corner by playing it off a defender, he tried to clear a corner at the near post and sliced it into the SBR lower cus of poor technique, and put the cross in for the goal but he was in acres of time and space so it wasnt hard.Thats his game in a nutshell, those arent my opinions they are facts I watched everything he did cus i wanted to try and see what our resident TWTD "experts" see. Tabb waa awful apart from attacking a cross 2nd half.At one point in the first half we broke one of their arracks up and Cressy was off and screaming but Tabb reacted so slow the chance was gone.His instant reaction was to play it back. I'll say it again i dont want Mick out, i just want players in their correct positions and picked on merit not favouritism and i want us to try and take poor teams out at home instead of grinding them down in the hope of nicking a 1-0. Micks done a great job on the defence, thats sorted and has been for 12 months, but he still sends us out every week like we are the struggling team at the bottom of the table, we have the better team on paper in most games and should play like it instead of being frightened to death and trying to strangle the game to death

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JWM added 22:17 - Mar 2 The lunatics have taken over the asylum! Had enough of all this negative crap, enjoy your own private hell.
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thebeat added 22:34 - Mar 2 The only negative crap is the tactics Mick adopts every week when he doesnt have to
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