Birmingham moved into third place in Division One after their comfortable 4-2
win over Bury at Gigg Lane.
It was only Bury's third home defeat of the season but their failure to win on
their travels and today's loss has left Neil Warnock's men facing a relegation
battle - while Trevor Francis is looking to the Premiership.
It started so well for Bury who opening the scoring on 16 minutes. Defender
Chris Billy fired in a perfect corner which the unmarked Laurent D'Jaffo headed
past Kevin Poole.
But Birmingham always looked dangerous and two goals in three minutes changed
the course of the game.
On 32 minutes, Simon Marsh's corner found Paul Furlong who headed the ball
beyond the outstretched Dean Kiely. It was Furlong's 11th goal of the season.
Three minutes later and Birmingham were ahead. Defender Martin O'Connor
powered through the Shakers' defence and rifled a 16-yard shot low into the
net.
But Bury did not lie down. The ball went straight to the other end and Poole
saved D'Jaffo's close range header with his foot.
It continued to be end to end football with Billy troubling the Birmingham
defence and Kiely denying Furlong. But the Bury keeper could do nothing about
the visitors' third in the 55th minute.
Furlong picked the ball up about 30-yards from goal and, in acres of space,
fired a rising shot which nestled in the top corner of the net - his fifth goal
in four games.
And Peter Ndlovu could have made it four minutes later but his deflected
effort crept wide of the post.
The fourth came in the 73rd minute when Dele Adebola, who haunted Bury when he
played for Crewe, headed home at the near post. And it could have been more but
Kiely's one handed save denied Jon McCarthy.
D'Jaffo reduced the deficit with a penalty five minutes from time after
Furlong was adjudged to have handled the ball. It was the Frenchman's eighth
goal of the season but it was not enough to rescue Bury.
Teams:
Bury: Kiely, Woodward, Williams, Daws, Lucketti, West, Swailes,
Littlejohn, D'Jaffo, Billy, Barrick (James 70).
Subs Not Used: Preece, Ellis.
Goals: D'Jaffo 17, 85 pen.
Birmingham: Poole, Rowett, Marsh (Grainger 63), Robinson, Ablett,
Johnson, McCarthy (Hughes 81), Adebola, Furlong, O'Connor,
Ndlovu.
Subs Not Used: Forster.
Goals: Furlong 32, O'Connor 35, Furlong 56, Adebola 74.
Att: 7,024
Ref: B Burns (Scarborough).
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