SOCCER: Birmingham City 1 West Ham Utd 1:BOYHOOD BIRMINGHAM fan Craig Gardner sent the Blues through to their first major Wembley final for 55 years with an extra-time winner in last night's League Cup semi-final clash with West Ham at St Andrew's.
Gardner’s goal capped a dramatic comeback by Alex McLeish’s side who had fallen 3-1 behind on aggregate after Carlton Cole’s superb first-half strike.
Lee Bowyer and Roger Johnson forced the game into extra-time before Gardner’s moment of glory.
Gardner’s swerving shot from 25 yards was well struck, but Rob Green looked to have it covered only for the ball to slip away from his grasp into the corner of the net.
After 30 minutes of the match last night, Green had not been seriously tested. Then after 31 minutes a superb strike from Cole put the Hammers ahead on the night and 3-1 up on aggregate.
The England striker was allowed time 35 yards out to line up his shot, but there was no doubting the quality of the strike as it flew past Foster into the net.
In the second half Birmingham piled on the pressure and were rewarded when Lee Bowyer reduced the arrears after 59 minutes. Another Larsson corner was not dealt with by the Hammers and the ball broke to Bowyer who hammered the ball past Green from 12 yards out.
The home side were now in complete control and Green was booked for time-wasting. In the 79th minute Bowyer crossed and Johnson rose above the Hammers defence to head past Green to take the game into extra-time. Jerome could have won the game for City in normal time but Green smothered his low shot inside the box.
West Ham’s Scott Parker showed good control in the box but shot over before the injured Gardner plus Larsson made way for David Murphy and Jean Beausejour.
Avram Grant brought on Benni McCarthy for Spector at the start of the second period and then Tomkins and Cole were booked for dissent.
BIRMINGHAM: Foster, Carr, Johnson, Jiranek, Ridgewell, Larsson (Beausejour 101), Ferguson, Bowyer, Gardner (Murphy 101), Derbyshire (Zigic 46), Jerome. Subs not used: Taylor, Phillips, Fahey, Hleb. Booked: Gardner, Ferguson.
WEST HAM: Green, Faubert, Tomkins, Upson, Bridge, Noble, Parker, Spector (McCarthy 106), Hines (Dyer 71), Cole, Boa Morte (O'Neil 83). Subs not used: Boffin, Reid, Gabbidon, Sears. Booked: Green, Dyer, Tomkins, Cole.
Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).
Cole 32
Att: 27,519
Bowyer 59, Johnson 79
Gardner 94
Birmingham win 4-3 on agg AET
