Blackpool were convincingly beaten at St Andrews in a game that won’t feature highly in the pecking order on Match of the Day tonight.
Goals from Liam Ridgewell and Nikola Zigic either side of half time sealed the points for the Blues, with both players taking full advantage of the Seasider’s inability to defend two routine corners.
Birmingham always looked the more dangerous team going forward, and Ian Holloway will be worried with the way his team failed to test keeper Ben Foster with their evident lack of quality in the final third.
Blackpool produced the first meaningful chance of the game when Stephen Crainey’s cross found Gary Taylor Fletcher in the box, but his goal bound header lacked enough power to trouble Foster.
Sebastian Larsson’s superb long range free kick was brilliantly tipped over by Matt Gilks as Birmingham soon found their stride and began to dictate the game play.
The Swede once again demonstrated his willingness to shoot from distance with a deflected effort which produced a good save from Gilks.
Gary O’Connor - returning to the Birmingham side after a loan spell at Barnsley - had a golden opportunity to give his team the lead when he was put clean through on goal; but he dallied on the ball as Craig Cathcart slid the ball to safety.
Gary Taylor Fletcher was inches away from connecting with Crainey’s delightful cross in Blackpool’s best chance of the half.
Birmingham’s pressure finally paid off when Liam Ridgewell popped up to head into an unguarded net from all of six yards from an uncleared corner.
Nikola Zigic’s initial header rebounded off the woodwork, and the left-back was on hand to nod home as the Blues went in a goal ahead at the break.
The second half was a similar story to the first, with Blackpool failing to find a way through the solid Birmingham backline.
Zigic gave Birmingham a two goal cushion when he pounced on Charlie Adam’s error to convert his second Premier League goal of the season.
Adam made a meal of a simple clearance, and the towering Serbian was alert to stab the ball past the helpless Gilks.
Blackpool tried in vain to pull a goal back, but for all their endeavor, couldn’t muster anything significant.
David Vaughan forced Foster into his first meaningful save of the game moments before the final whistle, drawing the stopper into a full-stretch save to tip his long range drive around the post.
All in all, Birmingham were good value for their victory as they kept up their impressive home record that has only seen them slip to one league defeat all year.
Blackpool, on the other hand, will have to pick themselves up from a disappointing performance where they struggled to create any clear-cut chances all game.
The Seasiders go in search of their first home victory of the season against West Bromwich Albion at Bloomfield Road on Monday 1st November.
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