Paul Devlin's penalty rescued a point for 10-man Birmingham - but their
disciplinary problems are beginning to mount after striker Geoff Horsfield
collected his second straight red card of the season.
Devlin levelled matters - to cancel out Claus Jensen's first half strike -
after Horsfield had been dismissed for a challenge on Luke Young.
Blues had come into the game with the worst disciplinary record in the
Premiership - 52 yellow and three red cards - and Bruce's fears that suspensions
could be his main headache in trying to stay in the top flight were again
highlighted.
Horsfield's second red card of the season - he was also dismissed against
Preston in the Worthington Cup - will leave Bruce with a major headache as his
only other senior striker Stern John is recuperating from knee surgery.
To make matters worse his influential playmaker Aliou Cisse will now have to
serve his second suspension of the season after collecting his 10th booking of
the campaign. In total there were eight bookings and a sending-off.
But it is that never-say-die spirit installed by Bruce which again came to the
fore after Horsfield's dismissal.
An inept first half, in which Charlton had been the better side, was forgotten
as they rescued a precious point in their bid to survive via Devlin's penalty.
Charlton will feel they should have taken command after gaining a numerical
advantage but they have still taken 14 points from an unbeaten six-game run to
cement a mid-table place in the Premiership.
The first half chance of the game fell to City striker Horsfield who was found
in a yard of space by Jovan Kirovski - scorer of the winner against Fulham last
weekend.
But, after taking time to steady himself, Horsfield failed to make a clean
contact with his low drive which did not seriously test Charlton keeper Dean
Kiely.
Paul Konchesky then came to the rescue of the Addicks when he headed a floated
free-kick from 25 yards out by Kirovski off the line with Kiely apparently
beaten.
But there were precious few moments of excitement on a bitterly cold afternoon
and it was Charlton who looked the more likely to open the scoring.
The danger signals were there for Blues in the 34th minute when Kevin Lisbie
was put clear by Konchesky but he appeared to hesitate before shooting and Nico
Vaesen was able to block his eventual low effort.
But Curbishley's side were not to be denied and three minutes later the home
defence was split open as Jensen tucked away his fourth goal of the campaign in
impressive fashion.
Jensen played a one-two with Scott Parker before finding himself with only
Vaesen in front of him and he dummied the Blues keeper before walking the ball
into an empty net.
For the home side record signing Clinton Morrison volleyed wide from a
Kirovski corner but the half-time whistle was greeted with a smattering of boos
by the home supporters after a limp display from their side.
At half-time Blues on-loan signing, defender Ferdinand Coly, was introduced to
the home fans and the Lens player will formally sign until the end of the season
when the transfer window reopens next month.
Blues began the second half in more enterprising mode but they found
themselves reduced to 10 men after 53 minutes when Horsfield collected his
second red card of the season.
He lunged at Young near the dug-outs but it appeared to be harsh when referee
Rob Styles brandished an instant red.
That was the signal for a flare-up involving at least a dozen players which
resulted in Morrison and Parker also being cautioned.
Vaesen kept City in the hunt when he saved a powerfully-struck drive from
Konchesky but at the other end substitute Devlin had a similar shot deflected
inches wide.
City were clearly fired up by Horsfield's dismissal and after 66 minutes
Devlin brought them back on level terms from the penalty spot.
Aliou Cisse powered into the penalty area and had his legs taken from
underneath him by Jensen as he was preparing to shoot.
Referee Styles pointed instantly to the spot and up stepped Devlin to hammer
the ball past Kiely into the roof of the net.
Blues were dealt another blow when Cisse collected his 10th booking of the
campaign for disputing a Charlton free-kick with a linesman and he will have to
serve a two-match suspension.
But Bruce's side held on with relative ease although Parker drilled a shot
wide when well placed in the penalty area.
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