Dele Adebola emerged as Birmingham's match-winner in a heated promotion battle.

Adebola's 66th-minute strike was his first goal at St Andrew's this season and could not have come at better time as it moved the midlands club back into the top six.

Birmingham raced to their fourth successive home win to boost their hopes of making the play-offs with one of their best attacking performances of the season. But it was often a frustrating game as they dominated long spells only to trail at the break by a goal from Allan Johnston, who was on loan at St. Andrew's earlier in the season.

But they kept battling away to emerge as worthy winners in a game which ended on a controversial note when Eidur Gudjohnsen was sent off for a bad foul on the luckless Martin Grainger.

Bolton were subjected to long spells of pressure when they were indebted to the brilliance of goalkeeper, Jussi Jaaskelainen. Birmingham bombarded Jaaskelainen who stopped everything that went in his direction in the first half.

Grainger was the one Birmingham player to bemoan his luck. In only the second minute he smashed his shot against the crossbar. Later, playing in an unaccustomed role on the right flank, he had only Jaaskelainen to beat on three occasions and each time smashed his shots straight at the Bolton keeper.

Birmingham then had the wind knock of their sails in the 20th minute when Bolton, against the run of play, took the lead when Johnston, on only his second appearance, scored a clever goal. Johnston collected a pass from Gareth Farrelly and chipped the ball over the head of Ian Bennett who was caught off his line.

Jaakelainen continued to defy the Birmingham attack. Besides Grainger the Bolton keeper saved from Bryan Hughes and Isaiah Rankin.

Birmingham's persistent pressure, however, could not be denied even by the heroics of Jaaskelainen and five minutes into the second half Birmingham justifiably equalised. Even then it came as a result of a rebound.

Jaaskelainen, who had saved from both Rankin and Hughes, blocked O'Connor's shot but Rankin on this occasion was able to slip the ball into the net for his first goal for Birmingham.

Pumped up by the goal Birmingham continued to hit Bolton at every opportunity. In the high wind ball control was often very difficult but in the 66th minute Birmingham settled the issue when Adebola got his first league goal at home this season.

Simon Charlton floated in a high ball and Adebola, last season's leading marksman, scored with a glancing header to the relief of the home fans who had been treated to an exciting cut and thrust game.

Teams:

Birmingham: Bennett, Rowett, Hughes, Holdsworth, Grainger (Gill 90), Charlton, Purse, O'Connor, Lazaridis (Hyde 81), Adebola, Rankin (Johnson 86).

Subs Not Used: Marcelo, Poole.

Booked: Grainger, O'Connor.

Goals: Rankin 50, Adebola 66.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, O'Kane, Bergsson, Ritchie, Elliott, Johansen, Jensen, Farrelly (Taylor 89), Johnston (Hansen 76), Holdsworth (Passi 64), Gudjohnsen.

Subs Not Used: Banks, Phillips.

Sent Off: Gudjohnsen (90).

Booked: Ritchie, O'Kane, Hansen.

Goals: Johnston 20.

Att: 18,426

Ref: M Halsey (Welwyn Garden City).