Rovers 2 Birmingham 1

[Alan75]

Rovers: Friedel, Emerton, Samba, Ooijer, Warnock, Savage (Mokoena 57), Tugay (Derbyshire 56), Bentley, Dunn (McCarthy 46), Pedersen, Santa Cruz.

Subs Not Used: Brown, Khizanishvili.

Booked: Tugay, Warnock, Bentley

Goals: Bentley 15, McCarthy 56 pen

Birmingham: Maik Taylor, Kelly, Djourou, Ridgewell, Queudrue, Larsson, Muamba (Palacios 62), Nafti (Danns 72), McSheffrey (O'Connor 62), Jerome, Kapo.

Subs Not Used: Kingson, Schmitz.

Booked: Jerome

Goals: Jerome 68

Att: 19,316

Ref: Mark Clattenburg

League Position 6th

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Rovers extended their run of winning games to 4 this afternoon with a 2-1 victory over Birmingham City.

A first half strike from David Bentley and a second half penalty by Benni McCarthy gave Rovers a 2-0 lead before Cameron Jerome scored a consolation for the self styled Big Club Rovers took the lead on 15 minutes when England midfielder David Bentley spun and twisted past the Birmingham defence, before unleashing a shot on the turn into the back of the Darwen End net.

Rovers second goal came, 10 minutes into the second half, when substitute Benni McCarthy, converted from the penalty spot, after Santa Cruz had been brought down in the area.

Big Club’s consolation goal was scored by Jerome.

Savage was substituted early in the second half after a clash shins with a Birmingham player, the impact point was in the same position as last seasons break. Energy wise he stated that he could have stayed on but was in a lot of paine when trying to run it off.

Bentley,s yellow card, was a puzzle for both the fans and Bentley. From the puzzled look on his face he didnt know why he was booked but the referee, made some strange bookings all afternoon - Warnock booked, yet Birmingham player commits same offence a few minutes later and there was no reaction, similar when Santa was brought down in the box, no action on Brum player.

Benni, on his second half performance it would appear that the extra training is working........some beautiful footwork, especiaslly the cut in from the left to set up Santa.

Tugay, under performed but it was declared later that he was playing after having had pain killing injections before the game.

Derbyshire when playing out on the wing, he needs to cross the ball to players in better positions, instead of shooting from long range acute angles.

Mark Hughes post match comment.:

"I thought we were a little bit off the pace in the first half, perhaps because of Thursday's efforts in the Uefa Cup.

"In the second half we were more dynamic, and when Benni McCarthy came on he looked very sharp.

"There were lots of positives. I've got a good group of players and we'll need them all during the season."