Blues on course for top-10 finish after win over Burnley

FT: Birmingham 2 Burnley 1

On-loan Birmingham striker Christian Benitez scored his first home goal as Alex McLeish’s side topped the 50-point mark for the campaign with victory against already-relegated Burnley.

The win preserved City’s eight-month unbeaten record at St Andrew’s and they are on course to finish in the top 10 after being written off pre-season by pundits and bookmakers as relegation certainties.

An own goal from Burnley goalkeeper Brian Jensen broke the deadlock and then came Benitez’s moment of glory four minutes before the interval to wrap up the points. Steven Thompson scored a late consolation effort for the Clarets.

Hart fisted away a testing cross from Patterson and Burnley’s commitment could not be faulted in adversity.

But it needed a block from Cort to deny Benitez his second goal of the game.

Parnaby was injured in a touchline tackle by Fox and replaced by Keith Fahey with 11 minutes remaining.

Benitez just failed to take a pass from Jerome into his stride after making a run into the box.

Burnley made their third change with six minutes remaining as Graham Alexander made way for Kevin McDonald.

Thompson pulled a goal back with three minutes remaining, clipping the ball past Hart into the corner of the net.

Lee Carsley, who is leaving Birmingham in the summer, came on in injury-time in place of Jerome.