Town take a 1-0 victory to St Andrew's in two weeks time. A penalty just before half-time from Marcus Stewart saw Town gain victory, but perhaps more important was the cleansheet kept by Richard Wright and his defence.

Birmingham came with their usual physical, defensive approach, but most fans who were at Portman Road will probably most remember the contribution of referee Clive Wilkes who was as pedantic as they get and who made so many poor decisions that at one stage the whistle would blown and fans would know neither which way the freekick was going or what it was for.

Town lined up with Mark Venus returning to the centre of the defence and Hermann Hreidarsson moving to left-back. Gary Croft dropped out while James Scowcroft moved up front to replace the cup-tied Alun Armstrong. Jim Magilton came back into midfield after missing a few games.

Birmingham played the game that Town fans got so used to during the years in the First Division. While Town tried to get their passing game in action the midlanders used their spoiling tactics and tried to catch Town on the break. Surprisingly Trevor Francis left out Stan Lazaridis, the player who caused Town most problems in the League game at Portman Road last season.

Town's best first half chances came from a header from James Scowcroft which was too close to Ian Bennett in the Birmingham goal and a shot which went wide from Jermaine Wright. The ex-Crewe player ought to have done better, however, he seemed too confident in front of goal and mis-kicked the ball wide of the post when he should have done better. Jim Magilton had found him in space on the edge of the area in the aftermath of a corner.

Town eventually went ahead through a penalty. For once the Blues were looking vaguely dangerous from corners and it was from one of these that the incident that led to the kick originated. The ball was played out wide to Jim Magilton who crossed the ball into the box where it struck Danny Sonner on a raised arm. Although referee Wilkes didn't act immediately his linesman had no doubt and shook his flag vigorously. Immediately O'Connor ran over to the linesman and practically pushed him back against the advertising hoardings. He was soon joined by Sonner who in no uncertain terms had his say on the matter. Referee Wilkes showed him a yellow card when other referees might have shown a red given the two offences in such quick succession. O'Connor escaped without a card of any variety.

Marcus Stewart stepped up to take the penalty and sent Bennett the wrong way, putting the ball inch perfectly into the left corner as the keeper sees it.

Half-time came with Town fans still cheering the goal. The second half started and Town had their best twenty minutes of the match. Hermann Hreidarsson was probably Town's most impressive player throughout this period and he came closest to adding a second. A Mark Venus freekick looped in and the Icelander climbed above the defenders to head against the post with Bennett nowhere.

Several very bad challenges came in from Birmingham players as Trevor Francis' side sought to break up Town's momentum. Worst of the lot was a foul on Hreidarsson which was as cynical as they come. Grainger saw the defender, who increasingly became an attacker as the game went on, get away from him and dragged him to the ground. Repeatedly referee Wilkes gave freekicks for challenges like these, but failed to show a card, allowing the away side to continue to transgress the rules and upset Town's rhythm.

Finally substitute Martijn Reuser was chopped down cynically as he passed Jenkins and referee Wilkes got his cards out booking the Birmingham player. If he had done this earlier, then Town might have had an even better evening.

later in the second period Danny Sonner might have worried that he was going to give away another penalty as he and Matt Holland challenged for the ball. Holland hit the ground with the crowd calling for a penalty. However, the referee said no and in this case he was probably right.

Marcus Stewart missed a fantastic chance to put Town further ahead when he mis-kicked, almost exactly the same way as Wright in the first half, and sent his shot wide.

The late part of the second half became very scrappy as Birmingham broke Town's passing up. The Blues were still having most of the game, although Marcello looped a header over Richard Wright's crossbar.

The game ended with Town still pushing for a second, but with Birmingham still determined opposition. George Burley takes his team into the second leg at St Andrew's in two weeks time with a one goal lead. Birmingham will need to push for a win from the off, something they haven't done against Town for some while. With Town's away record as good as anyone's we could find the away leg a happier hunting ground than at Portman Road was tonight. Perhaps the referee might let the game flow to some degree too.

Photo: Action Images

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