Birmingham 2 Nottingham Forest 0: Andy Walker's big match verdict
Feb 16 2009 by Andy Walker, Birmingham Mail
He charged forward at every opportunity and caused panic in the Forest box with his deliveries from the left – one of which set up Bent for the opening goal. As much as Franck Queudrue is a good left-back, the Frenchman wouldn’t have had the legs to put in a performance like the one Murphy produced.
Meanwhile, Keith Fahey attracted just as much praise. The Irishman had forced McLeish to include him in his starting line-up and although he was played in an unfavoured left midfield position, he showed the gaffer why he was right to give him the nod.
Fahey’s creativity and calmness on the ball showed exactly why McLeish took a gamble in bringing the former Villa man from the League of Ireland.
To think, it could have all started off as it did against Burnley the week before. In almost identical fashion to Martin Paterson’s strike for the Clarets, Forest striker Nathan Tyson charged into Blues’ area with five minutes gone and played a low ball across the six-yard box, only to see James Perch fail to get his toe on what would have been a certain goal.
Blues were determined not to repeat the nightmare start from the last time they were at St Andrew’s as their ventures forward proved.
Phillips’ one chance before his injury came in the 22nd minute. Murphy’s cross from the left was headed clear by Kelvin Wilson but only as far as Phillips on the edge of the box. The evergreen striker created a yard for himself before sending a low effort just wide of the left post.
Liam Ridgewell, of all people, could have had a first-half hat-trick as he saw two headers saved by Forest goalkeeper Paul Smith and blazed a close-range volley well over the bar. The aerial threat of Ridgewell and Bent, who was left battered and bruised by his opponents, caused Forest problems all afternoon.
And after Bent had struck the top of the bar from Ridgewell’s flick-on just before the break, his third goal of the season arrived in the 61st minute. Murphy’s cross evaded the big man but Bent still found time to turn and fire home from five yards despite the efforts of Wes Morgan on the line.
It was the turn of Blues’ Irish gem to shine 14 minutes later, after a nice move with Cameron Jerome on the right flank. Fahey shimmied into the box and dinked a delightful effort over Smith.
It may only have been their third win in 11 games but Blues are far from in the middle of a crisis.
