Birmingham City claimed the bragging rights in the West Midlands Derby as they beat West Brom 3-1 at St Andrew’s.
Blues bounced back from John Swift’s fifth-minute opener thanks to a controversial penalty from Juninho Bacuna, and then Dion Sanderson put the home side in front.
Substitute Gary Gardner came off the bench to wrap up the three points for John Eustace’s side who have once again got West Brom’s number, beating them for a fourth straight time.
West Brom got off to a Swift start as John opened the scoring with his sixth shot on seven on target. He was found on the space of the area and with no one near him, he curled a shot off the post, and in behind John Ruddy.
Birmingham in search of a response hit the side netting as from a well-worked corner, Juninho Bacuna found Jay Stansfield who shouldered it to Koji Miyoshi, and he smacked the side netting.
The hosts got back on level terms in controversial fashion. Cedric Kipre was adjudged to have fouled Miyoshi in the box, and despite minimal appeals it was awarded. Bacuna stepped forward and sent Alex Palmer the wrong way.
Bacuna’s penalty gave Birmingham the spark they needed, and it was he who was causing problems. He cut inside and just from outside the box, his shot deflected past Palmer’s goal.
The hosts went ahead as former Wolves man Dion Sanderson rubbed salt into the Albions wounds. An intensive corner-kick came in, and then Sanderson pulled away from Erik Pieters and Kipre to loop a header home from Cody Drameh’s cross.
West Brom should have got back level early on in the second-half Matt Phillips found Darnell Furlong in space, but he was missing with the finish, as he slid his effort just past the post.
In an otherwise quiet second period, which was hampered by injuries and niggles, Birmingham got their insurance goal. Scott Hogan drew a foul from Cedric Kipre, and it gave Birmingham the chance to score. Gardner lifted his free-quick accurately over the wall and beat Palmer for a moment of brilliance.
Ivan Sunjic almost inflicted further damage onto West Brom, but following Oliver Burke’s low-cross, which Sunjic turned at goal, Palmer made a brilliant reactive save.
Here’s how the Birmingham City players fared in the player ratings against West Brom:
1. John Ruddy - 6
Beaten a little too easy by Swift’s effort. Photo: McNulty/Getty Images)
2. Cody Drameh - 7
A delightful inch-perfect ball that found Sanderson for Blues second. Did well when coming up against Matt Phillips. Photo: Getty Images
3. Kevin Long - 7
Aimless hoof ball that went straight back to West Brom, and from it they scored. Improved in the second-half, and kept the West Brom attack quiet. Photo: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
4. Dion Sanderson - 7
He wasn’t sure whether to get tight to Swift or not, and that gave him a pocket of space. He made amends with his goal. Photo: Marc Atkins/Getty Images