Championship: Bristol City 0 Birmingham City 2

EURO stars Blues are now getting firmly on the right Championship track.

A third straight win in the league, to go with a pair in the Europa League during the same period, means the momentum of Chris Hughton’s side shows no sign of letting up, nor is there any evidence of fatigue from their tough schedule.

Blues are fairly bouncing along right now.

They are battling away on two fronts, domestically and abroad, successfully and getting better and better, and more confident, by the outing.

Chris Burke iced the victory at Ashton Gate in the fifth minute of stoppage time with his second goal of the match.

And well before then Blues should have given themselves an easier ride against the division’s bottom club.

Blues were too good in parts for the Robins, if not as ruthless as they would have liked, and maybe too comfortable, if that’s possible on an away ground.

They made heavy going of it somewhat after the break as Bristol rallied, but they also gave off an air of self-assurance and used their nous at the same time.

The train keeps a rollin’, indeed.

Bristol were trying to arrest their worst start to a season in 78 years.

Former Albion favourite Derek McInnes was appointed from St Johnstone in the week and the size of his task soon became clear.

Blues set the pattern during the opening moments and by the break should really have been well clear.

They spurned four gilt-edged chances – some of which seemed harder to miss – and forced eight corners in the first half alone.

Hughton made seven changes to his starting line-up from Bruges and Blues certainly appeared fresh and sharp, right from the off.

After just two minutes from a corner Curtis Davies headed the ball back across the six-yard box and Liam Ridgewell nodded it from whence it came with the goal at his mercy.

Bristol City were tentative and obviously lacking in confidence as Blues maintained their control and, in the 18th minute, once more fluffed their lines in front of goal.

Jean Beausejour advanced on to a ball over the top and centred for Chris Wood, whose mishit shot was parried by a surprised David James.

The loose ball came to Marlon King and he seemed to have an age to stick it away but Lewin Nyatanga dived in and got a vital deflection.

Bristol struck the crossbar 60 seconds later when the ball sat up nicely for Marvin Elliott to launch a dipping volley from 25 yards, Boaz Myhill doing well to get his fingertips to the speculative attempt.

It was a little warning to Blues, who had moments of over-confidence and complacency in the half, and soon afterwards Jon Stead fired wide from a great position after Elliott took advantage of a slack Ridgewell pass to advance and cross.

But again back came Blues and three minutes before Burke swooped, his swinging centre was somehow touched wide by Wood from barely a couple of yards as he and Ridgewell rushed in.

Finally the goal came, via some classy work by Beausejour and King.