Bowyer settles a middling derby

ALEX MCLEISH, the Birmingham City manager, was caught in the maelstrom of intense derby encounters on many occasions during his time at Glasgow Rangers – whether at Ibrox or Parkhead.

The way he was allowed to celebrate his second anniversary of succeeding Steve Bruce was kindergarten stuff by comparison.

Birmingham City heading towards the Champions League is a fanciful idea in the extreme, but Wolves heading towards the Championship is far more realistic.

Seven months ago, Wolves owner Steve Morgan was gloating at Wolves’ return to the top division as champions of the Championship, having beaten Birmingham into second place.

The owner who has made his millions from building homes does not have much of a solid foundation to go on at Molineux on the evidence of this. In that short space of time Birmingham have moved on light years in comparison and spent less money in the process.

With owner Carson Yeung ready to flex his financial muscles in the transfer window to the tune of £40m, with Birmingham already at the heady heights of 11th in the table thanks to Lee Bowyer’s fifth goal of the season, the portents at St Andrews are hugely positive. This victory extended their unbeaten run to five games, the best McLeish has managed at this level, to leave Wolves cemented in the bottom two and with little prospect of escape.

Bowyer is enjoying a real Indian Summer to his career at the age of 32, mellowing with age and the responsibility of fatherhood. The competitive edge remains but the detonating fuse is much lengthier these days.

However long his mature outlook extends his career, he will be hard pushed to score a better goal than the one he clipped over Marcus Hahnermann from 20 yards, courtesy of Sebastian Larsson’s astute pass, before three minutes had elapsed.

“There were more than a few people telling me that his legs had gone and there was some criticism for signing him,” said McLeish.

Strangely enough those doubters have become more silent than Trappist Monks. Harmony at St Andrews is contrasted by growing discontent at Wolves. McLeish was expecting Wolves to come at his team like a “run away train.” In reality Wolves were about as dangerous as an untethered shopping trolley.

McCarthy’s decision to embrace the fact that his side are embroiled in a “relegation struggle” in the build-up to this was a questionable motivational move.

His players appeared gripped with fear and shorn of the intensity levels required for such a local argument. That will have concerned the powers that be at Molineux, and McCarthy especially.

“Birmingham deserved to win,” he conceded. “It is hugely disappointing. Getting beaten by Arsenal and Chelsea is not worrying. Losing at home to Birmingham is worrying, because we were expected to win.”

Birmingham’s victory was facile enough and would have been more emphatic if referee Mark Clattenburg had awarded Birmingham a penalty for Matt Jarvis’ rash challenge on Scott Dann.

James McFadden also wasted a clear opportunity and it took Wolves 75 minutes before they even mustered a shot which forced Joe Hart to save. Little wonder the natives were so restless in the absence of any intensity or intent.

The unedifying sight of a former primary school headmistress leaning over a barrier at half-time and suggesting in an impassioned voice that it’s “time to go, McCarthy” was hugely poignant and how long McCarthy can remain in a job is an issue for debate.

The sacking season has already begun with the departure of Paul Hart and as soon as the first bullet is fired that tends to set off a chain-reaction.

Whether anyone could do better with the tools at Wolves’ disposal is doubtful.

REFEREE: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne and Wear) 6: Loves to be the centre of attention and that detracts from his performance. Missed a clear penalty for Birmingham.

MATCH RATING: *** No intensity and no passion from Wolves. Birmingham could not believe their stroll to the points.