Blackburn paid the price for their temperamental defender Andy Todd's
dismissal as Birmingham forced a draw with a late equaliser from substitute
Stern John.
Rovers had looked comfortably on top after Damien Duff's goal until Todd's
sending off in the first half changed the game completely both as a spectacle
and in the visitors' favour.
Tormented by the brilliance of Christophe Dugarry, Todd's brittle temperament
snapped - not for the first time in his career - and he was sent off for a
petulant kick at the Frenchman's backside.
The match changed immediately from an open one with attacking football from
both sides, to Blackburn manning up the barricades and attempting to defend
their slender lead.
Birmingham pressed, but apart from the sheer class of Dugarry they struggled
to find the creativity to unlock the home side until John came off the bench to
beat Brad Friedel.
Dugarry, one of four players so far to have joined Birmingham this month, had
demonstrated his quality in the very first minute with some smart control on his
chest and a shot from a tight angle that brought the very best out of Friedel.
Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke opened up the visitors at the other end and laid on
a promising chance for Duff but he drilled his effort against a defender's
legs.
Cole then broke through on goal after being picked out by Tugay's lovely
through-ball but Ian Bennett, preferred in goal to Nico Vaesen, pulled off a
diving one-handed stop to keep the game goalless.
After 19 minutes a brilliant passing move sliced Birmingham apart and Duff put
Rovers in front. David Thompson was instrumental, his disguised reverse pass
picking out Yorke's run, who then crossed for Duff - after Cole had completely
missed the ball - to fire home.
Bennett was soon in thick of it again when Duff drove from 25 yards, and from
the following corner Yorke's bouncing shot struck a post and the Blues keeper
had to parry Garry Flitcroft's follow-up.
Then came the defining moment of the match when Todd lost his head - and
almost certainly cost Rovers two points, the incident sparking a minor melee
which ended with Clive Wilkes producing the red card.
Souness reorganised and brought on Nils-Eric Johansson for Yorke, but in doing
so left Cole as a lone striker.
After the break, a fabulous ball by Duff drifted across the Birmingham
backline to where Thompson had ghosted in at the back post but he volleyed over,
a waste of a good opportunity.
The same pair combined again but this time it was Thompson with the exquisite
pass and only Duff's poor control prevented him running clear on goal.
Birmingham pressed again and Dugarry sent a header whistling inches wide after
Jamie Clapham's cross before Aliou Cisse was wayward from the edge of the box.
With 25 minutes left Bruce sacrificed a defender and brought on Jovan Kirovski
for Johnson, and soon afterwards Dugarry was denied again when Friedel flung
himself to tip the Frenchman's header around the post.
Duff made a couple of important clearances but then Friedel showed just why he
has just been voted USA Soccer Player of Year with a quite remarkable save to
keep out Kirovski.
Dugarry's skill created the chance, Kirovski shot on the turn from the penalty
spot and it looked a sure-fire goal until Friedel dived low, spread out a long
arm and finger-tipped the ball around the upright.
James McEveley and Duff both tried their luck as Birmingham left spaces at the
back but with seven minutes left substitute John finally found a way past
Friedel.
Stan Lazaridis crossed from the left for the umpteenth time and John leapt
high to bullet a downward header into the net.
Duff could have won it when Thompson's magnificent pass put him one on one but
again he could not get past Bennett, the Irish winger getting up from the turf
to head the loose ball agonisingly wide of the target.
Teams:
Blackburn: Friedel, Neill, Todd, Taylor, McEveley, Thompson,
Flitcroft, Tugay, Duff, Cole (Jansen 73), Yorke (Johansson 35).
Subs Not Used: Gillespie, Ostenstad, Kelly.
Sent Off: Todd (28).
Booked: Neill, Tugay.
Goals: Duff 19.
Birmingham: Bennett, Kenna (John 75), Vickers (Devlin 35),
Michael Johnson (Kirovski 65), Clapham, Damien Johnson, Cisse,
Savage, Lazaridis, Dugarry, Morrison.
Subs Not Used: Coly, Vaesen.
Booked: Dugarry, Clapham, Lazaridis.
Goals: John 83.
Att: 23,331
Ref: C Wilkes (Gloucestershire).
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