Nico Vaesen produced a wonderful penalty save to move Birmingham to within a
point of the Division One play-offs after a battling victory over Norwich.
The Dutch goalkeeper dived low to his right to parry Garry Holt's 63rd-minute
spot-kick as the Blues held on to take three vital points away from Carrow
Road.
Steve Bruce had watched his side dominate for long periods of the match but
despite their pressure the visitors were only able to find the net once.
Striker Tommy Mooney's delightful first-half backheel allowed Stern John to
run clear of the Norwich defence, and he curled the ball past keeper Robert
Green to score his fourth goal for the club.
The Canaries' excellent home form has offset their numerous poor performances
away from Carrow Road this season but they struggled to find their feet from the
kick-off.
Norwich survived an early scare when captain Malky Mackay allowed a long ball
to bounce over his head into the path of Mooney, who failed to take advantage,
but with 11 minutes gone Nigel Worthington's men almost forced the opening
goal.
Marc Libbra's free-kick caused confusion in the Birmingham defence and winger
Mark Rivers broke clear, only to see his powerful shot turned behind by Vaesen.
The visitors continued to press though and Mooney should have broken the
deadlock on 18 minutes.
Martin Grainger's dangerous free-kick was missed by Green, but Mooney crashed
a header wide of the empty goal from just four yards.
However, three minutes later Birmingham deservedly broke the deadlock with
John's quality low finish from the edge of the box.
And the home side were fortunate not to fall further behind when Bryan Hughes'
20-yard volley was pushed round the post by Green, and nine minutes before the
interval Tommy Williams flashed a stinging left-foot shot against the outside of
the post from a tight angle.
Libbra could have forced an equaliser but his deflected strike was scrambled
off the line with half-time approaching.
Mooney continued to pose a threat after the break, firing a free header over
the bar from Paul Devlin's cross, while Norwich's David Nielsen nodded the ball
onto the roof of the net at the other end.
Worthington's side should have levelled with 62 minutes gone when Libbra was
hacked down by defender Darren Purse inside the box, but Vaesen pushed out
Holt's weak penalty.
Purse could have settled the clash with 14 minutes remaining after being put
clean through by Mooney, but Green rushed out of his goal to make a point-blank
save.
Teams
Norwich: Green, Nedergaard, Mackay, Fleming, Drury,
Rivers (McVeigh 45), Holt, Mulryne, Easton (Llewellyn 77),
Libbra, Nielsen.
Subs Not Used: Crichton, Kenton, Andy Roberts.
Booked: Nedergaard.
Birmingham: Vaesen, Kenna, Purse, Michael Johnson, Grainger,
Devlin, Hughes, Woodhouse, Tommy Williams, John (Horsfield 82),
Mooney (Eaden 89).
Subs Not Used: Davis, Lazaridis, Damien Johnson.
Booked: Grainger, Woodhouse.
Goals: John 22.
Att: 18,258
Ref: M Messias (York).
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