Blues triumph in Birmingham derby

Birmingham 3 Aston Villa 0

They were singing the Blues in Birmingham after Aston Villa slumped to a crushing and ultimately self-inflicted defeat.

A night of deafening jubilation for the city’s poor relations saw Clinton Morrison hand Birmingham the advantage before an own-goal of nightmare proportions by Villa keeper Peter Enckelman ended any hopes of a comeback.

The misery was sealed for the visitors late on when Alpay dismally failed to control Robbie Savage’s through ball and substitute Geoff Horsfield gleefully seized on the opportunity.

The match had kicked off amid an atmosphere of pure intimidation as the Villa players were booed from all corners of the St Andrews ground during the warm-up, and the capacity crowd ended cheering joyfully as the first derby between these two bitter rivals for 16 years went Birmingham’s way.

It was a full-blooded and occasionally bruising encounter as the powerful presence of Aliou Cisse and Savage in centre midfield established a superiority for Birmingham that Villa always struggled to overcome.

Cisse, the captain of Senegal, was all calm poise while Savage dashed about madly, blond locks flailing, to ensure the Villa players could never relax. Up front, Morrison enhanced his growing reputation in alliance with the elaborate skills of Stern John.

Only when Graham Taylor ws forced into changes at half-time, bringing on Dion Dublin and Darius Vassell, did Villa come alive but that spell lasted only until Enckelman’s miserable intervention.

With the intensity of the crowd, it was not surprising the match kicked off at full throttle. What was more unexpected was the quality on show as both sides matched commitment with skill.

There was only one foul in the first 10 minutes, and that for high feet, so those anticipating a bloodbath from the first whistle had their expectations shattered.

That did not quieten the crowd however, and the decibels rose as Morrison crossed low for Cisse, making a late run into the box, to flash an effort past the post.

Sean Devlin tested Enckelman with a low drive, then Morrison found John who executed a smart turn and shot, but Olof Mellberg put his body in the way.

After 15 minutes, Mark Kinsella cursed himself for putting a straightforward header wide, then Jeff Kenna upped the adrenaline levels when he headed over from a corner.

Birmingham went ahead in the 31st minute when Kenna lofted a cross from deep, the Villa defence froze fatally and the ball bounced off Savage for Morrison to hook in.

Scenes of wild delight followed from home players and fans alike, with some supporters cavorting on the pitch in ecstasy.

Only the woodwork then stopped the visitors equalising seven minutes before the break. Gareth Barry’s quick free-kick picked out Ulises De La Cruz, and the Ecuador international produced a fabulous strike from 25 yards which thumped off the crossbar.

Villa’s strikers Marcus Allback and Juan Pablo Angel had been desperately disappointing in the opening period so it was no surprise when Taylor replaced them with Dublin and Vassell at the break.

The change had an immediate impact as Villa began in threatening fashion, and when Vassell surged into the danger area Martin Grainger sliced a clearance across his own goal, looking a relieved man as it missed the far post.

The two substitutes came even closer when Dublin’s cute knockdown fell into Vassell’s path but Darren Purse managed to get a boot in the way just as the England striker was about to finish. Jlloyd Samuel then struck the side-netting after a twisting run by De La Cruz.

Villa tempers flared 11 minutes after the break when Vassell had a goal ruled out for offside despite the ball coming to him off a Birmingham head. Taylor and Villa coach John Deehan were livid, and confronted the linesman in finger-wagging fury as the visiting fans sang ’1-0 to the referee’.

Matters were almost made worse for Villa when Alpay, who had already been booked, caught Damien Johnson in mid-flight. Referee David Elleray reached for his pocket but after the intervention of several Birmingham players resisted producing the second card.

Vassell put a header wide from Samuel’s cross after Nico Vaesen had stranded himself flapping at the ball, then Barry was inches away with a low curled free-kick.

Villa’s strenuous efforts then collapsed in farcical circumstance as a bizarre own goal from Enckelman handed Birmingham some breathing space.

The keeper’s lazy attempt to control Mellberg’s throw-in saw the ball take the slightest of touches off his boot and roll across the goal-line.

Birmingham could not believe their luck and nor for that matter could Villa. Enckelman’s expression said it all, his feelings not eased by the jubilant taunting of a fan who gestured in his face after running onto the pitch.

Horsfield rounded off a miserable night for Taylor’s troops with seven minutes to go when Alpay was let down by his control and the Blues sub advanced and beat Enckelman with a right-footed shot which beat the hapless Finn at his near post.