Birmingham 3 Wigan 2:Birmingham's prospective owner Carson Yeung saw former Juventus player Olivier Kapo score a late winner for Steve Bruce's side against Wigan at St Andrews.

Yeung had witnessed City twice fall in arrears to a two-goal blast from Marcus Bent only for a Kapo penalty and skipper Liam Ridgewell's first goal for the club to bring Blues back on level terms.

Then with nine minutes remaining Kapo struck a superb winner to give Bruce a massive lift before he holds talks with Yeung during the next 24 hours.

The fans chanted "there's only one Steve Bruce" in the closing stages to make their feeling known to Yeung about the former Manchester United skipper. And at the final whistle the players went across to hug Bruce.

On the field City showed their fighting qualities to halt a run of three successive league defeats and Bruce looks to have unearthed another exciting prospect in Daniel De Ridder.

He was handed his first start since a summer move from Celta Vigo and was a constant threat to the Latics defence with his pace and trickery.

Wigan have now taken two points from their last eight games to leave them embroiled in a survival battle.

Birmingham made a positive start and Cameron Jerome would have been
disappointed to drag his left-footed shot wide from 12 yards out after a De Ridder cross had been deflected into his path.

City had a let-off when Antonio Valencia's pace took him clear of Franck Queudrue and his cross picked out an unmarked Jason Koumas on the far side of the six yard box.

But Paul Scharner dived in front of the Welsh international and his attempted volley flew well wide of the target.

Scharner became the first player to be yellow-carded for a challenge on Birmingham midfielder Mehdi Nafti.

Wigan stunned the home side by going ahead through Bent's third goal of the campaign after 23 minutes.

A long hopeful clearance from Mario Melchiot caught out the City rearguard and Bent was able to race clear and hammer past an exposed Maik Taylor from 12 yards out.

Birmingham tried to retaliate and the lively De Ridder had a powerful free-kick tipped over the bar by Latics keeper Chris Kirkland.

But from the corner by the Dutch Under-21 winger, Bruce's side managed to get back on level terms from the penalty spot.

De Ridder's centre was met by the head of Queudrue and was handled by Scharner just inside the box.

Up stepped Kapo to calmly send Kirkland the wrong way with the spot-kick for what was also his third goal of the campaign.

De Ridder was looking impressive on his full debut and Kirkland did well to beat out a fierce left-footed drive from close range after he had used his trickery to create an opening for himself.

Taylor prevented Wigan from regaining the lead by blocking a close range effort from Koumas and in first half injury time Kirkland narrowed the angle to cling onto Kapo's chip.

The Blues fans were trying to lift their side but there was a growing feeling of tension around the stadium and a defensive mix-up presented Bent with his second goal after 59 minutes.

Melchiot was again the creator with a teasing cross which dipped in the middle of the six yard box and Stephen Kelly and Taylor got in each other's way to leave Bent with the easiest of chances.

Bruce's response was to bring on Scotland striker Garry O'Connor in place of Fabrice Muamba and after 67 minutes City drew level for the second time through Ridgewell.

De Ridder's corner was headed goalwards by Rafael Schmitz and Ridgewell was able to deflect the ball past Kirkland from close range.

With nine minutes left Kapo's low drive from the edge of the box went past the despairing dive of Kirkland into the corner of the net.