Man City ease past Blues

Man City's Richard Dunne tussles with Geoff Horsfield

Birmingham 1-2 Manchester City

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Manchester City drew to within two points of leaders Wolves with an impressive victory at St Andrews.

Birmingham took the lead in only the fourth minute with a header from Michael Johnson but were on the back foot for the rest of the game.

The visitors, with Ali Benarbia pulling the strings in midfield, drew level through Niclas Jensen and secured victory with a goal from Kevin Horlock.

  Goals:

4 mins: Johnson heads in Devlin's free-kick to put Birmingham ahead.

45 mins: Jensen equalises for Man City with a close-range shot.

67 mins: Man City take the lead with Horlock's 20-yard shot.

So comfortable were the visitors that they did not need to bring their new £5m signing Jon Macken off the bench.

Manchester City are now only a couple of points behind Wolves with a game in hand and look destined for promotion.

Birmingham's cultured midfielder Paul Devlin was the architect of their early goal.

He sent in a curling free-kick from the left and Johnson sent a glancing header over Manchester City keeper Nicky Weaver.

This lead almost immediately looked fragile as the visitors proceeded to dominate.

Birmingham keeper Ian Bennett thwarted Shaun Goater with his legs and then saved well from Shaun Wright-Phillips.

But there was nothing he could do to prevent Jensen grabbing an equaliser on the stroke of half-time.

Benarbia, inevitably, released Darren Huckerby with a delighful pass and the pacy striker squared to Jensen, who slotted home from close range.

Manchester City continued to look th better side after the break and went ahead after 67 minutes with a goal from Horlock.

The defensive midfielder received a pass from Huckerby and hit a low left-footed shot that left Bennett with no chance.

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Birmingham: Bennett, Kenna, Purse, Michael Johnson, Grainger, Devlin, Hughes, Carter, Mooney, John, Horsfield. Subs: Vaesen, Eaden, McCarthy, Hyde, Andrew Johnson.

Man City: Weaver, Dunne, Howey, Pearce, Wright-Phillips, Benarbia, Horlock, Tiatto, Jensen, Goater, Huckerby. Subs: Nash, Jihai, Mettomo, Ritchie, Macken.

Referee: W Jordan (Tring).