New regime watch veterans lead Birmingham Senior Cup win

Oct 14 2009 by Andy Walker, Birmingham Mail

THE new Chinese regime watched the old guard help guide Blues’ second string through the first round of the Birmingham Senior Cup.

The first-team trio of Lee Carsley, Liam Ridgewell and Marcus Bent all got 62 minutes under their belt during last night’s encounter at non-league Solihull Moors.

And it was 35-year-old Carsley and Bent, 31, who both struck either side of the interval to help set up a straightforward passage into the next round.

Interestingly, Blues’ new chairman and vice-chairman football, Vico Hui and Sammy Yu, were both watching on from the Damson Park stand.

After an even first half, Carsley was gifted a 45th-minute opener when Moors’ keeper Danny Crane spilled a Bent flick-on to hand the veteran midfielder a simple tap-in.

Solihull could have hit back within seconds but Blues’ England Under-17s goalkeeper Jack Butland saved both Greg Mills’ penalty and James McPike’s follow-up effort.

Bent doubled the advantage with a low 20-yard free-kick before midfielder Brice Ntambwe made it 3-0 by powering home a header from substitute Robin Shroot’s corner.

The hosts from the Conference North managed to peg one back when substitute Ross Dempster stabbed home from eight yards with a minute of normal time remaining.

BLUES: Butland; Preston, Rowe, Ridgewell (Gombala, 62), Metcalfe; Hronec, Ntambwe, Carsley (Hubbins, 62), Williams; Bogle, Bent (Shroot, 62). Not used: Townsend, Fleet.