FT: Birmingham 2 Wolves 1

By Peter Fraser   Last updated: 7th February 2010  

FT: Birmingham 2 Wolves 1

Full Time90 + 4 FULL-TIME: Veteran striker Phillips rescues Birmingham as the substitute scores two goals in the final 10 minutes to earn a 2-1 win over Midlands rivals Wolves at St Andrews, where Doyle had opened the scoring. Stay with us for all the post-match reaction.

90 + 4 A late scare for Birmingham as Hart is forced off his line to gather, but that should be that.

Yellow Card90 + 1 Bowyer collects his sixth booking of the season for a late challenge on Mancienne.

90 ADDED TIME: There will be a minimum of four minutes added time before the final whistle.

Substitution88 Wolves are forced to go for broke as Jarvis makes way for Andrew Surman. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake replaces Kevin Foley.

Yellow Card87 Tempers are spilling over as Henry and Barry Ferguson are both booked following a coming-together in the Wolves half. The latter is fuming.

Carr is offered far too much room to attack down the right and crosses for Phillips to control on his chest and fire a volley past Hahnemann from similar range to his first. What a substitution!

Goal85 GOAL PHILLIPS (2-1)!!!

84 Birmingham need to calm down. Jerome has a good chance to build an attack but is in too much of a hurry and only gives the ball to Wolves.

82 Backs to the wall for Wolves now as Birmingham win a corner. Gardner crosses and after a half-clearance, Roger Johnson is offside.

The veteran striker demonstrates all of his predatory instincts as, after Gardner had hung back at the far post to head Fahey's ball across the face of goal, he applies a simple volleyed finish from six yards to draw Birmingham level.

Goal80 GOAL PHILLIPS (1-1)!!!

78 A major let off for Hahnemann as he spills a bouncing ball and Jerome, who is on his backside, can only stab the ball wide of the post from close range.

77 Great effort from Guedioura as the substitute lets rip from all of 30 yards and the ball rockets just over a surprised Hart's crossbar.

76 Bowyer receives a ticking off from referee Probert after a lunging challenge. That is becoming the story of the game. Frustration is showing for Birmingham and the game is becoming a bit stop-start, much to Wolves' delight.

Substitution74 McFadden makes his way off as Keith Fahey's fresh legs are introduced. Phillips attempts an ambitious, long-range volley that goes well wide.

73 McLeish is not impressed on the touchline. He is urging his team to get their passing game going but it is not working and Wolves remain a threat on the counter-attack.

70 Birmingham are pushing but they have yet to seriously trouble Hahnemann in the second half.

Substitution67 While the ball is out of play, Wolves bring on Adlene Guedioura in place of David Jones. Birmingham replace the ineffective Larsson with winter transfer window signing Craig Gardner.

67 The resulting free-kick from Jarvis almost finds Jody Craddock at the far post, but the ball drifts out.

Yellow Card66 A cynical foul from Dann and the Birmingham defender correctly goes in the book after Doyle did well to hold the ball up and turn close to the halfway line.

65 Wolves are sitting back and looking to counter-attack. It could be a risky tactic to attempt to defend their lead with 25 minutes remaining as Ridgewell almost heads into the path of Phillips.

Substitution63 Benitez's afternoon is over as he is carried off and replaced by Kevin Phillips. It looked like Birmingham were planning the change anyway.

62 Benitez thinks he has a chance but he is ruled offside before he is clattered by Hahnemann. The striker is receiving treatment as a result.

59 A corner for Birmingham. Ward is not happy as he believes a Jerome push forced him to put behind. The first effort is cleared for another corner and Hahnemann catches.

58 The game is a little like the latter stages of a cup tie at present with both sides attacking at will, very open.

57 Doyle is having a good game. He cuts in from the left away from Roger Johnson and Carr but can only find the side netting with his shot.

55 Mancienne tries to be too clever on the edge of Birmingham's box and the home side can break. Wolves manage to get numbers back to crowd out Bowyer.

53 Wolves break as Henry and Doyle lead the charge, but the attack fizzles out when the ball reaches Jarvis. That was a disappointment for the visitors.

51 Wolves are clearly buoyed by their lead, but they cannot capitalise at the corner as Zubar heads well wide of the target.

50 Carr fails to control the ball this time to gift Wolves another throw. It is all a bit scrappy at the start of this half, but Jarvis wins a corner.

49 England World Cup hopeful Hart produces to poor goal-kicks to gift Wolves two throw-ins. The goalkeeper will hope he Fabio Capello is not watching in Warsaw, where the England manager has attended the Euro 2012 qualifying draw.

Yellow Card47 David Jones' kick is overhit and his frustration shows as he attempts to win the ball back by grabbing Benitez around the collar of his shirt, an obvious booking.

47 An early foul for Wolves in the second half as Dann pulls down Doyle wide on the right.

WE'RE BACK: Wolves get the second half going. Can they hang onto their lead or will their poor away form strike again? There have been no substitutions.

FeedbackJack Deeley says: "I honestly think Roger Johnson needs to stay on his feet when tackling a little more. I think he's had a yellow card in the last three games now. He is a good player but not on form at the moment, and I think this is hurting Birmingham's defence. They used to be solid, with their 12 or so games undefeated earlier this season."

FeedbackChris Williams says: "Apart from the first 15 mins, this is one of Wolves better displays although still sceptical as to whether wolves will hold on for a much needed win!"

FeedbackPhillip Stevens says: "It's a shame. Birmingham have been amazing all season until we lost to Chelsea. I reckon we need to get back into the second half strong and come back even if it is just 1-1 in the end."

45 + 2 HALF-TIME: The first half comes to a close with Wolves winning 1-0 at St Andrews. Doyle's poacher's finish is the difference between the two sides. The half ends with Birmingham unsuccessfully claiming a penalty after an apparent push from Zubar on Ridgewell. They had a bit of a case. Let me have your thoughts on the first half at peter.fraser@bskyb.com.

Yellow Card45 ADDED TIME: There will be a minimum of two minutes added time before half-time as Mancienne is booked for pulling down Benitez inside the centre circle.

44 Birmingham have a great chance to respond as they are awarded a free-kick 20 yards from goal. Larsson tries his luck but the ball flies high and into the crowd.

Matt Jarvis crosses low from the left and the ball deflects off the unfortunate Roger Johnson to strike the foot of Hart's near post. Doyle is on the rebound in a flash as Wolves' record signing slides in to open the scoring.

Goal42 GOAL DOYLE (0-1)!!!

Yellow Card40 Roger Johnson is possibly fortunate to escape with just a booking after jumping into a challenge with both feet off the ground.

38 Another corner for Wolves. Difficult to say if it was the correct decision as Carr and David Jones challenge. Christophe Berra wins a header but the ball sails well over the crossbar.

37 From the resulting corner, Hahnemann brilliantly punches away when Jerome was about to head and Wolves break for their own corner. Hart, however, calmly claims.

35 Everything has gone a little flat after the fiery opening. There is a distinct lack of quality in the attacking areas as Benitez breaks free but has his shot blocked. Bowyer wants a foul as he claims he was intentionally tripped by Mancienne when attempting to support his team-mate. It looks like he might have had a case.

33 Ridgewell is receiving treatment after taking an arm in the face from Karl Henry. It was an accident and play is back under way.

31 Wolves break and win a free-kick wide on the left. Zubar meets Jarvis' cross but heads a great chance wide. Replays suggest that earlier block from Carr hit the full-back's outstretched hands.

30 Wolves want a foul on Jarvis, who is now back defending, but referee Probert is not interested. Carr therefore crosses but Bowyer's header is not troubling Hahnemann.

28 Great block from Carr on the edge of his own box as the veteran full-back throws his body in front of a powerful Jarvis shot at goal.

27 McFadden is not impressed when he is adjudged to have fouled Ronald Zubar on Birmingham's left wing.

25 The direction of the game has tipped a little in the last few minutes and Wolves are coming into matters. Dann attempts to address this but his cross goes behind for a goal-kick.

Yellow Card24 Clumsy. Doyle beats the onrushing Hart to a long ball wide on the Wolves left and is tripped by the goalkeeper. Doyle is not clean through on goal so it is only a booking for Birmingham's shot-stopper.

23 The free-kick is rolled back to David Jones, who flicks the ball up for a volley and hits just over the bar. Clever, similar to Matt Le Tissier a few years ago.

22 A chance for Wolves as Dann floors Doyle 25 yards from goal.

20 A horribly messy passage of play. I thought I was watching a non-league game for a moment as both teams spent one minute smacking long balls to their opposing defences. On the ground, please!

19 It's a Birmingham corner as Roger Johnson puts behind. Hart claims at his near post.

18 Alex McLeish will be delighted with the performance of his team so far. However, he will be itching for a goal.

16 Birmingham clock their sixth corner of the game. Hahnemann is brave to dive in at the feet of Cameron Jerome just as the striker was about to pull the trigger after a bit of a messy scramble in the box.

14 Doyle has heard my words, probably not, but shows good strength down the right and crosses in the direction of Jones. Unfortunately for Wolves, Liam Ridgewell vitally heads clear.

13 Doyle's control needs to improve if the ball is going to stick in attack. To be fair to the Republic of Ireland international, Mancienne's latest pass was travelling at a swift rate.

12 Hahnemann seems to have sorted himself out after that early scare as he claims a McFadden cross which had a little too much air.

11 Larsson's inswinging right-footed ball is in the direction of Scott Dann, however, Hahnemann does well this time and the Wolves goalkeeper punches clear.

10 A very lively start at St Andrews, but the pace is dropping a little now as McFadden wins another corner. Sebastian Larsson to take.

9 I spoke too soon. Wolves get away with what looked like a foul on Carr and break. Jarvis feeds David Jones, but Birmingham are able to crowd the midfielder out.

7 Wolves are struggling to get out of their own half in the very early stages. It looks like Kevin Doyle could have a long and lonely afternoon in attack.

6 McFadden's delivery is again accurate. Marcus Hahnemann runs into No Man's Land. Liam Ridgewell flicks on and Michael Mancienne heads away Cameron Jerome's goalbound effort. Wolves won't keep a clean sheet for long if this continues.

5 Here come Birmingham again! Wolves are really under pressure and Bowyer is causing problems in a free role as the Blues win another corner.

4 James McFadden's initial delivery is put behind for another corner and this time Wolves clear into the Birmingham half.

3 The excellent Roger Johnson fires a long ball forward and Wolves only half clear. Ronald Zubar provides a last-gasp tackle on Lee Bowyer. A corner is given.

1 Birmingham are immediately on the front foot and Stephen Carr drives to the byline. He claims a corner but the linesman gives a goal-kick. Replays show the ball came off Matthew Jarvis.

KICK-OFF: We're off! Birmingham get the game going. A great game atmosphere at St Andrews, let's hope for a game to match.

Sky Bet The bookies have been in touch... 8/11 Birmingham, 23/10 Draw, 10/3Wolves. A good-looking Midlands derby with in-form Birmingham entertaining Wolves. Kevin Doyle is 7/1 to net first while former Rangers star Barry Ferguson is 5/1 to score at anytime.

FeedbackChris Ward wins first prize for being the first person to get in touch. Unfortunately there is no prize apart from undying respect. Chris says: "Another crazy starting 11 from mad Mick. More or less the same team that were disgraced by palace in midweek. Square pegs in round holes! Mad Mick out!!" Controversial. Surely Mick McCarthy should he offered more time?

How do you think today's match will unfold? Can Birmingham get back to winning ways or will Wolves cause what will essentially be an upset and climb out of the relegation zone. Send you thoughts to peter.fraser@bskyb.com and I will publish a selection of the best.

Referee: Lee Probert

Wolverhampton team: Hahnemann, Zubar, Craddock, Berra, Ward, Foley, Henry, Mancienne, David Jones, Jarvis, Doyle. Subs: Hennessey, Elokobi, Ebanks-Blake, Surman, Vokes, Mujangi Bia, Guedioura.

Birmingham team: Hart, Carr, Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell, Larsson, Ferguson, Bowyer, McFadden, Jerome, Benitez. Subs: Taylor, Phillips, Michel, Fahey, Vignal, Jervis, Gardner.

Welcome to our live commentary of the Midlands derby between Birmingham and Wolves in the Premier League. Team news to follow...

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