Birmingham relegated after loss

A 2-1 defeat against Tottenham at White Hart Lane, coupled with a win for Wigan, relegated Birmingham to the Championship.

Blues knew only a win would guarantee their survival going into the game, but they fell behind three minutes after half time to Roman Pavlyuchenko's fine long-range strike.

Top goalscorer Craig Gardner looked to have ensured Blues' survival on goal difference when he equalised 11 minutes from time.

But two second-half consolation goals for Wolves in their 3-2 defeat to Blackburn coupled with a stoppage time winner by Pavlyuchenko - and Wigan's 1-0 win away at Stoke - saw Birmingham relegated along with Blackpool.

With so much at stake going into the game, it was perhaps surprising to see Alex McLeish opting to play just one up front, despite 4-5-1 being his regular formation of choice away from home.

But with goal difference also likely to play some role in deciding the final two relegation places, the Blues boss was clearly aiming to stifle Spurs' attacking instincts as much as boost his side's presence in midfield.

The former Scotland manager was boosted by the return of Cameron Jerome from a heel injury to take up that unenviable position of lone striker, after missing last week's shambolic home defeat to Fulham.

Defender Liam Ridgewell and nine goal top-scoring midfielder Craig Gardner also returned to their regular starting positions after serving a one and two-match ban respectively .

Curtis Davies was also called into Blues back four, replacing Martin Jiranek, while Keith Fahey came in to replace Lee Bowyer in centre midfield, with both of last weekend's starters injured.

And Jean Beausejour replaced David Bentley on left wing - the latter, being on-loan to Birmingham from Spurs, was being unable to play against his current employer.

But Blues' Injury problems were most evident on the substitutes bench, with inexperienced Jordon Mutch and Nathan Redmond joined by Ernic Valles and Akwasi Asante – who have yet to make their Blues debuts.

Spurs were injured without the injured duo of Rafael Van Der Vaart and Steven Pienaar but fellow injury doubts Heurelho Gomes and former Blues wing Wilson Palacios both made the bench in strong, though not entirely full-strength, Spurs side.

The visitors took 3,000 supporters to White Hart Lane – many in fancy dress – and the game kicked-off to a surprisingly optimistic atmosphere.

But nerves became evident after just five minutes, when Barry Ferguson appeared to handle Danny Rose's left wing cross in the box.

Referee Mark Clattenburg missed it but Ben Foster had to be alert to turn Sandro's cross behind for a corner from Peter Crouch's flick-on 12 minutes in.

Roger Johnson then bravely blocked Tom Huddlestne's fierce long-range drive from the corner.

Sandro forced another corner two minutes later but Younas Kaboul wasted a decent headed chance from the flag-kick.

Crouch flashed another effort just wide after good work from Luca Modric with 20 minutes gone, and the former Southampton and Villa striker just failed to connect with Justin Rose's superb left wing cross.

Defoe headed a decent close range header at Foster with 26 minutes gone but Blues' containment job was working, especially as news filtered through to the supporters that Wolves and Blackpool were trailing to Blackburn and Manchester United respectively.

Sandro won another corner with a deflected long-range strike but Gardner blocked the Brazilian's effort from inside the box from the flag kick.

Spurs had to replace Peter Crouch With Roman Pavlyuchenko six minutes before the break, and Kaboul forced a save from Foster with a pacey cross-cum-shot three minutes before half-time.

But Blues fans were on their feet as news filtered through of an equaliser for Blackpool at Old Trafford and a second goal for Blackburn against Wolves, dropping the latter into the relegation zone on goal difference.

Barry Ferguson was booked in the final minute of normal time for a rash tackle and Modric fired straight at Foster in stoppage time from 30 yards out in the final action of the first half.

At half time, Blues, Blackpool, Wolves and Wigan were deadlocked on 40 points but goal difference put the former two above the drop zone.

But Pavlyuchenko put Spurs ahead three minutes after the break with a thumping long-range strike as Blues' back line retreated, plunging Blues down to 19th place - meaning they needed an equaliser to escape the drop.

Ridgewell went into the referee' s book two minutes later for a rash challenge on the Russian goalscorer.

With relegation looming Blues began to commit men forward but struggled to create against their well organised opponents.

At the other end, Huddlestone dragged a decent effort wide but Gardner registered Blues first effort on target – a comfortable save from Carlo Cudicini with less than 20 minutes remaining.

Keith Fahey poked a speculative effort just over from a short corner and Matt Derbyshire then replaced Sebastian Larsson with 16 minutes left as McLeish switched to a two-man strike force in a change of formation to 4-4-2.

But it was midfielder Gardner who finally drew Blues level with a thunderbolt from outside the area 11 minutes from time, to temporarily lift Blues out of the drop zone at Wolves' expense.

Gardner almost grabbed his 11th goal of the season from a free-kick, but his shot landed the roof of the net, and Sandro dragged a great shot wide from Lennon's right-wing cross at the other end as the game ebbed and flowed towards a dramatic conclusion.

Derbyshire was booked for diving four minutes from time, but events elsewhere conspired to relegate Blues, as Stephen Hunt's goal at Molineux made it 3-2 to Blackburn, leaving both Wolves and Blues level on points and goal difference.

But Wolves better goal-scoring record meant it was they, not Blues who occupied that precious 17th position.

Things got worse for the visitors in stoppage time as Foster charged up for a late corner.

But Spurs cleared and Pavlyuchenko rubber-stamped Birmingham's drop to the Championship, after a swift counter attack to make it 2-1 in the third minute of stoppage time.