By Alan G
April 9 2006

Latics dismal home form continued as they struggled to get a point against relegation threatened Birmingham at the JJB. Birmingham Manager Steve Bruce selected an attacking line-up, with Chris Sutton and Muzzy Izzet bolstering their starting line-up, and his side started confidently.

John Filan was soon called in action, making an excellent save with seven minutes gone after Sutton shot low across the goal.

From the subsequent corner Leighton Baines cleared an Olivier Tebily header on the goal line, though referee Howard Webb mistakenly awarded a goal kick.

Jason Roberts was probably Latics best player and he proved a handful for the Birmingham defence, who never seemed comfortable with his twisting and turning physical prowess. He was twice denied, first by an excellent Martin Taylor challenge as he attempted to turn in a Baines cross, and second with a good save from Maik Taylor after a solo run.

Andreas Johannson struck early in the second half after Damien Johnson could only flick a Jimmy Bullard free kick into the path of Paul Scharner out on the right side.

Scharner headed the ball back into the danger zone and Johannson rose highest to head past Taylor.

After this it was Birmingham who piled on the pressure, Filan excellently saving an Emile Heskey header, Jiri Jarosik mis-kicking badly when unmarked and Scharner clearing a Tebily header away were all good chances for Birmingham that went begging.

But Birmingham's sheer persistence eventually paid dividends when substitute David Dunn beat Reto Ziegler to Heskey's low cross, stabbing the ball home.

Paul Jewell: "We don't seem to have any desire to go into the box and get hurt.

                                                                           

"When a ball goes into the area, it's always an opposition shirt there rather than a blue and white one.

 

"At home we seem to have lost our killer instinct to see us over the line.

 

"When we go a goal up you sense the game is always open, and for the home team and one that is eighth in the league, we should have enough about us to see games off.

 

"We've only scored 38 goals this season - the worst record in the top half of the table - and that's not going to be enough next season”.

 

 

Latics: Filan, Chimbonda, Scharner, De Zeeuw, Baines (Ziegler 42), Teale, Kavanagh, Bullard, McCulloch, Roberts, Johansson (Camara 79).
Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Jackson, Thompson.

Goal: Johansson 49.

Birmingham: Maik Taylor, Tebily, Martin Taylor, Cunningham, Sadler, Pennant, Jarosik, Izzet (Dunn 65), Johnson, Sutton (Forssell 65), Heskey.
Subs Not Used: Vaesen, Upson, Campbell.

Booked: Tebily, Pennant.

Goal: Dunn 77.

Att: 18,669

Ref: H Webb (S Yorkshire).