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Sunday, 22 April 2007, 12:55 GMT 13:55 UK

Wolves 2-3 Birmingham

Sebastian Larsson and Colin Doyle celebrate victory Colin Doyle's late penalty save from Michael McIndoe sent Birmingham top of the Championship after a frenetic derby match at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Doyle kept the visitors in the game with a string of fine saves before Andrew Cole slotted from a tight angle.

But that opener was cancelled out by two quick-fire McIndoe headers before Wolves had a penalty shout waved away.

Nicolas Bendtner powered in a header and Cameron Jerome scored late on before Doyle's save sealed the points.

606: DEBATE

That Doyle took the plaudits was justly deserved after his first-half performance kept the visitors in the game.

The Irish stopper, who is reportedly being tracked by Arsenal, blocked Andy Keogh's close-range header, denied the striker's follow-up after initially parrying an arrowing McIndoe shot and beat away a Jay Bothroyd effort.

Birmingham's best chance of the first-half fell to Bendtner who stole in ahead of Wolves duo Jody Craddock and Matt Murray only to be denied by the woodowork.

Despite the lack of goals it was a full-blooded affair, which was given even more spice in the second 45 after Cole struck on 54 minutes, latching on to Bendtner's flick-on.

But McIndoe gave Wolves hope when he met Michael Kightly's excellent cross from the byeline with a downward header, and he repeated the trick four minutes later with Keogh the supplier.

Home fans were aghast when the referee failed to award a penalty when Kightly was chopped down by Rahdi Jaidi and the Blues soon added to their fury.

Bendtner met Gary McSheffrey's corner at the near post with a bullet header.

And with two minutes left on the clock, McSheffrey was again on hand to slide a pass through to Jerome who beat the offside trap and kept his cool to send Birmingham in front.

In the dying moments Doyle maintained that advantage when he easily saved McIndoe's weak injury-time effort from the spot after a clumsy barge from Bruno N'Gotty on Craddock.

McIndoe's miss was the fifth penalty Wolves have failed to convert this season.


  • Wolves boss Mick McCarthy on referee Graham Laws:
    "Since I've been here I don't think I've commented on referees and I don't want to get involved, but at 2-1 we have an absolute stonewall penalty.

    "Macca (Michael McIndoe) taking one to make it 3-1 is hugely different to being 3-2 down for the equaliser.

    "I am annoyed about that and I don't like it."

  • Birmingham manager Steve Bruce on Colin Doyle:
    "Doyle was our most outstanding player.

    "He has come in quickly and quietly and been very good, you must be good to keep out Maik Taylor.

    "He's got a good future and if Arsenal want him that's fantastic for him - I'll swap him for Nicolas Bendtner and Fabrice Muamba, but that's just newspaper flannel."


    Wolverhampton: Murray, Neill Collins, Breen (Clapham 62), Craddock, McNamara, Kightly, Olofinjana, Potter, McIndoe, Bothroyd (Ward 86), Keogh.
    Subs Not Used: Budtz, Mark Davies, Gleeson.

    Booked: Breen, Olofinjana, Neill Collins, Bothroyd.

    Goals: McIndoe 67, 71.

    Birmingham: Doyle, N'Gotty, Jaidi, Martin Taylor, Kelly, Larsson (Nafti 90), Muamba, Clemence, McSheffrey (Vine 90), Bendtner, Cole (Jerome 61).
    Subs Not Used: Maik Taylor, Campbell.

    Booked: Muamba, McSheffrey, Jaidi, Clemence.

    Goals: Cole 54, Bendtner 77, Jerome 88.

    Att: 22,754

    Ref: G Laws (Tyne & Wear).




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