Sport

James gives away late penalty

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: Birmingham City 1 Portsmouth 0

Thu Aug 20 2009 - 01:00

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE:Birmingham City 1 Portsmouth 0

BIRMINGHAM CITY secured their first points in injury-time after a rash challenge by David James on Sebastian Larsson conceded a penalty which James McFadden dispatched.

St Andrew’s was once again host to Premier League football but the first 45 minutes of fare were less than scintillating. The home side were as energetic and well-drilled as one expects of an Alex McLeish team, but failed to make an impact up front. When Kevin Phillips came on he added a certain nous to the Birmingham attack, but it was not until James’s rush of blood to the head that the deadlock was broken.

Attendance:19,922

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GuardianService

BIRMINGHAM:Hart, Carr, Roger Johnson, Queudrue, Vignal (Parnaby 49), Larsson, Ferguson, Fahey, McFadden, O'Connor (Benitez 81), Jerome (Phillips 54). Subs not used: Maik Taylor, Carsley, McSheffrey, O'Shea.

PORTSMOUTH:James, Kaboul, Wilson, Distin, Belhadj, Vanden Borre (Utaka 46), Diop (Basinas 42), Mokoena, Mullins, Kranjcar, Piquionne (Kanu 79). Subs not used: Begovic, Hughes, Nugent, Ward. Booked: Basinas, Piquionne, James, Kaboul, Mullins.

Referee:Lee Probert (Wiltshire).