Birmingham continue to pull away from the relegation places with a vital 1-0 victory at fellow bottom feeders West Ham. Upton Park has not been a happy hunting ground for Birmingham with only one success in their last ten league visits, but the Blues picked a vital time to end that record and keep a clean sheet for the first time in nine league games.
Nikola Zigic score the all important goal midway through the second half, heading home a set piece from close range, which keeps the Hammers in the drop zone, but begins to ease the Blues away from the possibility of Championship Football next season.
Including the legs of the Carling Cup semi-final this was the fourth meeting this season of the two teams and probably the most important.
The final whistle was greeted by boos from the Hammers faithful in what was a disappointing afternoon for the home side as they slumped to the bottom of the Premiership.
West Ham's Demba Ba almost had a dream debut from the bench when he smashed a shot against the post.
But Birmingham's defence held firm once they had taken the lead even though Manuel da Costa twice went close to equalising but shot off-target and then headed wide. Referee: Chris Foy
Venue: Upton Park Attendance: 32,927
West Ham scorers: Birmingham scorers: Zigic 65
WEST HAM 01 Green 02 Reid 15 Upson (Da Costa (46yellow card) 36 Bridge 37 Jacobsen 08 Parker 16 Noble (yellow card) 32 O'Neil 30 Piquionne (Cole 59) 33 Obinna (yellow card) 34 Keane (Ba 75)
Substitutes 31 Boffin, 20 Faubert, 22 Da Costa, 14 Kovac, 09 Cole, 19 Sears, 21 Ba
BIRMINGHAM 26 Foster (yellow card) 02 Carr 05 Johnson 06 Ridgewell 28 Jiranek 04 Bowyer 08 Gardner 11 Bentley 12 Ferguson 10 Jerome (Larsson 57) 19 Zigic
Substitutes 13 Doyle, 03 Murphy, 32 Davies, 07 Larsson, 18 Fahey, 23 Beausejour, 09 Phillips
