Birmingham 2 Nottingham Forest 0

Feb 14 2009 By Drew Williams, PA Sport

Birmingham leapfrogged Reading to move back into the automatic promotion places at the top of the Coca-Cola Championship with a deserved victory over Nottingham Forest.

After a run of just one win in their last six league games, Blues looked edgy during the opening exchanges and Nathan Tyson could have given the visitors an early lead when he broke clear.

But once Birmingham settled, it was almost one-way traffic. Marcus Bent saw his first-half header loop off the top of the crossbar before grabbing the vital breakthrough after 62 minutes.

David Murphy's cross dropped nicely for the former Charlton marksman to turn and fire under Paul Smith, and it was left for Keith Fahey to put the game beyond doubt with a superb chip over the stranded Forest keeper to register his first goal for the club.

Both sides found it difficult to express themselves on a difficult St Andrews pitch but, nevertheless, the victory - which comes during the week marking the 30th anniversary of Trevor Francis' £1million move to Forest - takes Blues to within three points of leaders Wolves with a game in hand.

Meanwhile Forest, who had only suffered one league defeat in six before today, remain in trouble at the wrong end of the table.

Tyson was gifted with a great chance to open the scoring after only three minutes but, having raced clear down the left-hand side, he could only balloon his effort high and wide from close range.

The lively Tyson then flashed a ball across the face of goal just minutes later as the visitors enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges.

But Blues steadied the ship after a rocky first five minutes and slowly, but not spectacularly, came back into the game.

Kevin Phillips saw his long-range effort deflected narrowly wide before Lee Bowyer scuffed an effort off target from 16 yards.

Phillips had to be replaced due to injury just after the half-hour mark but Cameron Jerome came on and immediately looked a threat up front.

Alex McLeish's charges started to turn the screw as the interval approached and Liam Ridgewell's flick-on forced a good save from Smith before Bent's header looped over the Forest keeper and off the top of the crossbar. Smith then palmed Sebastian Larsson's free-kick to safety as the half came to a close.

Blues started the second half where they left off at the end of the first and should have taken the lead after 52 minutes.