Battling Blues climb out of drop zone

BIRMINGHAM moved out of the Barclays Premier League relegation zone after holding Everton to a draw at Goodison Park last night.

The visitors opened the scoring in the 17th minute through Jean Beausejour’s header.

John Heitinga levelled 10 minutes before the interval.

Everton made the first foray forward in the third minute and Mikel Arteta might have shot when he reached the edge of the box but passed the ball to Louis Saha, who lost control.

Arteta’s involvement came to an abrupt end soon after when he appeared to sustain a hamstring problem.

Toffees boss David Moyes brought on Ireland’s Seamus Coleman, while the visitors were also forced into an early change as David Bentley came off for David Murphy.

Everton enjoyed a spell of pressure, with Jermaine Beckford stinging the Blues goalkeeper’s palms.

Osman was next to bring a save out of Foster with a rising drive, but a minute later Birmingham had the lead. Midfielder Jordon Mutch swung in a cross and Beausejour beat Hibbert to it with a header that Howard clipped with his glove but could not prevent from crossing the line.

Everton looked to hit back, but Beckford could only send the ball over the bar with his back to goal having met a Jack Rodwell delivery.

The former Leeds striker then failed to connect with Coleman’s through-ball, which instead bounced off Stephen Carr towards goal but Foster was on hand to avert the danger.

The hosts continued to press and found their reward in the 35th minute as Heitinga rifled in the equaliser.

Jerome made a hash of clearing Osman’s corner and the ball fell to Heitinga, who swept it into the roof of the net from outside the area.

There was no sign of any let-up from Everton as Rodwell drilled a low effort into the arms of Foster, who then caught a diving header from Coleman.

Everton were quick to settle after the restart and might have had a penalty when Foster seemed to clatter Coleman as he came out to punch away a cross, although play continued.

A slip by Roger Johnson let in Saha, but the Frenchman chose to turn rather than shoot early and the effort he did get away cannoned off Mutch.

McLeish sent on Nikola Zigic for Jerome to provide fresh attacking impetus and the Serbian teed up Murphy, who horribly sliced his attempt at goal.

Moyes then also made a change up front, replacing Beckford with Victor Anichebe, before Osman tried a spectacular curling effort which was helped over the bar by Foster as Alex McLeish’s team secured a point which takes them 17th, with West Ham dropping into the bottom three.

EVERTON: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Heitinga (Bilyaletdinov 86), Osman, Arteta (Coleman 9), Rodwell, Saha, Beckford (Anichebe 78).

BIRMINGHAM: Foster, Carr, Ridgewell, Johnson, Jiranek, Bentley (Murphy 8), Larsson, Bowyer, Mutch, Beausejour, Jerome (Zigic 73).

Referee: Peter Walton.