Match ends, Birmingham City 1, West Bromwich Albion 2.
BirminghamBirmingham City1West BromWest Bromwich Albion2
- Two goals from Anichebe secure Albion's progress
- West Brom in fifth round for first time since 2010
- Grounds gave Blues hope with first goal for the club
- West Brom keeper Myhill injured
Victor Anichebe scored twice as West Brom survived Birmingham's attempted fightback to win the Midlands derby and reach the FA Cup fifth round.
Anichebe struck in the 25th and 35th minutes, both from passes from Saido Berahino, to hand the Premier League side a seemingly comfortable lead.
Jonathan Grounds pulled a goal back in first-half stoppage time to give the Championship side hope of an upset.
But City failed to level as their former keeper Ben Foster denied them.
West Brom boss Tony Pulis secured a first away success since he replaced Alan Irvine earlier this month, but his side had to show great resilience to claim victory.
Gary Rowett's Birmingham team went close to forcing a replay in a late spell of pressure in which Foster, who replaced the injured Boaz Myhill on 62 minutes, twice denied substitute Demarai Gray.
Pulis made three changes from the side that drew 0-0 at Everton last time out, keeping together the attacking pair of Anichebe and Saido Berahino.
Berahino played in a more central role and it was his pass to Anichebe that allowed the ex-Everton striker to shoot low past Darren Radolph and in off a post on 25 minutes.
Ten minutes later Anichebe turned former West Brom defender Paul Robinson and beat Randolph with the aid of a deflection.
City pulled a goal back when left-back Grounds swept in a low cross from new loan signing Lloyd Dyer.
Birmingham dominated the second half as they went in search of an equaliser.
Rowett brought on Gray and striker Nikola Zigic and twice in the last 15 minutes, Gray, 18, almost scored, forcing Foster, who came on when Myhill suffered an injury to a finger, into fine saves.
West Brom manager Tony Pulis:
"We played very well in the first half and I was really disappointed we conceded a goal in added time.
"In the second half they threw everything at us. We had to show some more resilience and we did that."
On the finger injury to goalkeeper Boaz Myhill: "He will need an X-ray to see if it's dislocated. He will need some stitches."
Birmingham manager Gary Rowett:
"I was a little disappointed to go 2-0 down. But the goal before half time gave us a bit more belief and in the second half we pinned in a good side.
"Their keeper has had to make three or four very good saves.
"We have got to take great pride from that second-half performance."
Line-ups
Birmingham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Randolph
- 31Caddis
- 28Morrison
- 4RobinsonBooked at 67mins
- 3Grounds
- 26DavisSubstituted forThomasat 86'minutes
- 8Gleeson
- 11Cotterill
- 22Shinnie
- 40DyerSubstituted forGrayat 70'minutes
- 12NovakSubstituted forZigicat 75'minutes
Substitutes
- 9Donaldson
- 10Thomas
- 17Reilly
- 19Zigic
- 21Doyle
- 23Spector
- 33Gray
West Brom
Formation 4-4-2
- 13MyhillSubstituted forFosterat 62'minutes
- 2Wisdom
- 23McAuley
- 25Dawson
- 6Lescott
- 8Gardner
- 11Brunt
- 5Yacob
- 29SessegnonSubstituted forBairdat 68'minutes
- 18Berahino
- 10AnichebeSubstituted forIdeyeat 81'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Foster
- 4Baird
- 7Morrison
- 9Ideye
- 15Pocognoli
- 16Gamboa
- 17Dorrans
- Referee:
- Mark Clattenburg
- Attendance:
- 28,438
Match Stats
Home TeamBirminghamAway TeamWest Brom
- Possession
- Home53%
- Away47%
- Shots
- Home23
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away4
- Corners
- Home6
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home3
- Away13
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Birmingham City 1, West Bromwich Albion 2.
Post update
Offside, West Bromwich Albion. Claudio Yacob tries a through ball, but Brown Ideye is caught offside.
Post update
Attempt missed. Nikola Zigic (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Michael Morrison with a headed pass.
Post update
Attempt missed. Stephen Gleeson (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Post update
Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Chris Baird.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Andrew Shinnie (Birmingham City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Nikola Zigic with a headed pass.
Post update
Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Ben Foster.
Post update
Attempt saved. Demarai Gray (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Stephen Gleeson.
Post update
Offside, Birmingham City. Stephen Gleeson tries a through ball, but Jonathan Grounds is caught offside.
Post update
Michael Morrison (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Brown Ideye (West Bromwich Albion).
Substitution
Substitution, Birmingham City. Wes Thomas replaces David Davis.
Post update
Attempt missed. Andrew Shinnie (Birmingham City) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Paul Caddis with a cross.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Nikola Zigic (Birmingham City) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by David Cotterill with a cross.
Post update
Chris Brunt (West Bromwich Albion) hits the left post with a left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left. Assisted by Brown Ideye.
Substitution
Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. Brown Ideye replaces Victor Anichebe.
Post update
Attempt missed. David Cotterill (Birmingham City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Andrew Shinnie.
Post update
Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Ben Foster.
Post update
Attempt saved. Demarai Gray (Birmingham City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Paul Caddis.
