Birmingham buoyed by cup joy
Tuesday, February 7, 2006
Article summary
Birmingham City FC put their Premiership struggles to one side as they booked a place in the FA Cup fifth round with a 2-1 victory against Reading FC.
Article body
Kitson chance
Steve Bruce's team required a second-half equaliser from David Dunn to salvage a replay in the first encounter against a weakened Reading side. Promotion to the top flight is the Championship leaders' priority, but they were at full strength tonight and soon found their rhythm in difficult conditions. Visiting striker Dave Kitson should have secured an early advantage but dragged a shot wide of the upright.
Forssell strike
Kitson spurned another chance when Brynjar Gunnarsson's long-range effort came back off the post just after the half-hour, by which time the home team had taken the lead against the run of play. Jermaine Pennant squared the ball to Mikael Forssell on the edge of the box and the Finland forward broke into the area, dribbling past several defenders before tapping in after his initial attempt had been saved.
Birmingham fight
Reading's scorer in the first match, Stephen Hunt, equalised just after the restart, firing an unstoppable shot in off the underside of the bar, but the visitors were unable to keep the initiative. Instead it was Birmingham who struck again, as Julian Gray headed in Jirí Jarosík's cross on 67 minutes.
Preston through
Bruce's side will now make the short trip to Stoke City FC in the last 16, while Preston North End FC face the winners of tomorrow's Coventry City FC-Middlesbrough FC replay after a 2-1 comeback victory at Crystal Palace FC.
