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England: Birmingham beat West Brom in West Midlands derby [Sat Aug 27th, 2005]
Birmingham City got their first win of the season at the expense of nearby West Bromwich Albion in the season’s first West Midlands derby. The Blues made the short trip to the Black Country and left Albion with a 3-2 victory and three precious points after a game of two halves – the first bossed by Birmingham, the second by Albion.
Emile Heskey scored his first goals of the season with some clinical finishing. First he found himself unmarked to head home a pin-point Jamie Clapham cross to put the visitors ahead on 10 minutes.
But former Birmingham striker Geoff Horsfield equalised within two minutes with a low shot, and Kevin Campbell saw a header bounce off the top of the bar.
However, the Blues regained the lead on 26 minutes through Jiri Jarosik, on loan from Chelsea. He headed home Jermaine Pennant’s lofted free kick off the far post for his first goal for Steve Bruce’s club.
Heskey then headed in his second from Jermaine Pennant’s cross in the 33rd minute, before Horsfield also got a second after 64 minutes, when Damien Johnson made a hash of a clearance slicing the ball to Horsfield who took full advantage.
It gave the Baggies hope, and Horsfield came close to getting his hat-trick after Zoltan Gera nodded back across goal but his header was mis-directed. Then substitute Robert Earnshaw volleyed over when well-placed before blazing the ball over in injury time.
So Albion couldn’t stop Birmingham achieving their first Premiership away win since last December.
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