Birmingham City 2-1 Reading

Birmingham City debutant Jon Toral rises to head their second goal

Tomasz Kuszczak saved a last-minute penalty as Birmingham City held on to secure a dramatic victory against Reading at St Andrew's.

David Cotterill put Blues in front with a wildly deflected free-kick which beat Reading keeper Jonathan Bond.

Jon Toral doubled the hosts' advantage after the restart when he leapt to head home a Clayton Donaldson cross.

Nick Blackman nodded the visitors back in it, but Kuszczak saved Orlando Sa's penalty after Simon Cox was fouled.

Birmingham went ahead after Paul McShane brought down Clayton Donaldson and Cotterill fired home the free-kick.

Debutant Toral put Birmingham 2-0 up after smart link-up play with Donaldson allowed him to head past Bond.

Reading were back in it soon afterwards when Chris Gunter fired a cross towards Blackman, who headed the ball past Blues debutant Kuszczak.

Deep into added time, Cox was brought down by David Davis in the box and Kuszczak coolly saved Sa's weak spot-kick.

Afterwards, Reading manager Steve Clarke said an Aaron Tshibola effort should have stood. Tshibola's powerful shot from outside the box bounced down off the crossbar and back into play.

Birmingham manager Gary Rowett: "It was an amazing game. It had little bit of everything for the spectator.

"It is the sign of the Championship in some ways. People talk about it as the most unpredictable league in the world.

"I was not overly sure it was a penalty but then Tomasz Kuszczak came up with a moment of experience and brilliance to win the game."

Reading manager Steve Clarke on Tshibola's disputed 'goal': "I don't know if it was a goal. Why they don't have goal-line technology in the Championship, League One and Two I don't know because it is such a simple thing to do.

"Every club could have it. There is so much money in the game. The professional game could be covered from top to bottom instead of giving all the money to one big superstar player.

"It is a clear decision. It's either a goal or it isn't. It works in the Premier League so why not bring it in for the good of the game? Points are vital at every level so these sort of decisions are really important."

Birmingham City midfielder Stephen Gleeson challenges Reading's Aaron Tshibola's goal-bound shot on the goalline

Jon Toral celebrates with Demarai Gray after scoring on his debut for Birmingham City

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Birmingham

Formation 4-2-3-1

29Kuszczak

31Caddis28Morrison23Spector3Grounds

8Gleeson6Kieftenbeld

11Cotterill20Toral7Gray

9Donaldson

• 29KuszczakBooked at 90mins
• 31Caddis
• 28Morrison
• 23Spector
• 3Grounds
• 8Gleeson
• 6KieftenbeldBooked at 39minsSubstituted forDavisat 63'minutesBooked at 90mins
• 11CotterillSubstituted forRobinsonat 81'minutes
• 20ToralSubstituted forShinnieat 71'minutes
• 7Gray
• 9DonaldsonBooked at 90mins

Substitutes

• 1Legzdins
• 4Robinson
• 10Thomas
• 19Maghoma
• 21Novak
• 22Shinnie
• 26Davis

Reading

Formation 4-4-1-1

1Bond

2Gunter5McShane8Hector11Obita

22Blackman18Tshibola6Norwood21Quinn

23Williams

10Sá

• 1Bond
• 2Gunter
• 5McShane
• 8HectorBooked at 90mins
• 11ObitaBooked at 61mins
• 22BlackmanSubstituted forRobson-Kanuat 79'minutes
• 18TshibolaBooked at 17minsSubstituted forSamuelat 86'minutes
• 6NorwoodBooked at 49mins
• 21QuinnSubstituted forCoxat 83'minutesBooked at 90mins
• 23Williams
• 10Sá

Substitutes

• 3Taylor
• 9Robson-Kanu
• 15Ferdinand
• 25Taylor
• 26Al Habsi
• 30Samuel
• 31Cox

Referee:

Peter Bankes

Attendance:

19,171

Match Stats

Home TeamBirminghamAway TeamReading

Possession

Home48%

Away52%

Shots

Home5

Away20

Shots on Target

Home3

Away7

Corners

Home2

Away5

Fouls

Home14

Away16

Live Text

1. Post update

   Match ends, Birmingham City 2, Reading 1.

2. 90'+9'

   Full Time

   Second Half ends, Birmingham City 2, Reading 1.

3. 90'+8'

   Booking

   Clayton Donaldson (Birmingham City) is shown the yellow card.

4. 90'+8'

   Post update

   Attempt missed. Simon Cox (Reading) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box misses to the left following a set piece situation.

5. 90'+8'

   Post update

   Penalty saved! Orlando Sá (Reading) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity, right footed shot saved in the bottom right corner.

6. 90'+7'

   Booking

   Tomasz Kuszczak (Birmingham City) is shown the yellow card.

7. 90'+7'

   Post update

   Penalty Reading. Simon Cox draws a foul in the penalty area.

8. 90'+7'

   Post update

   Penalty conceded by David Davis (Birmingham City) after a foul in the penalty area.

9. 90'+5'

   Post update

   Foul by Hal Robson-Kanu (Reading).

10. 90'+5'

    Post update

    Stephen Gleeson (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

11. 90'+4'

    Post update

    Michael Hector (Reading) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

12. 90'+4'

    Post update

    Foul by Clayton Donaldson (Birmingham City).

13. 90'+4'

    Booking

    David Davis (Birmingham City) is shown the yellow card.

14. 90'+3'

    Booking

    Michael Hector (Reading) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

15. 90'+3'

    Post update

    Foul by Michael Hector (Reading).

16. 90'+3'

    Post update

    Clayton Donaldson (Birmingham City) wins a free kick on the left wing.

17. 90'

    Booking

    Simon Cox (Reading) is shown the yellow card.

18. 90'

    Post update

    Simon Cox (Reading).

19. 90'

    Post update

    Tomasz Kuszczak (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

20. 88'

    Post update

    Attempt missed. Demarai Gray (Birmingham City) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Paul Caddis.

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