Rovers 1 Birmingham 1

16:54: Full time Rovers 1 Birmingham 1

A result that was clearly on the cards after Rovers went down to ten men.

16:53: Rovers have an extra three minutes to turn 1 point into 3. They push everybody forward hoping Birmingham don't counter attack

16:50: With just 3 mins to go Duff had a perfect opportunity give Rovers the game - he was one on one with keeper but could only shoot straight at Bennett.

16:47: Rovers nearly went back in front from the restart as Duffs shot come cross goes less than an inch past the post.

Birmingham then nearly increase their lead as Rovers are caught short at the back.

16:45: With 7 mins to go Birmingham finally take advantage of the extra man - Stern John was left unmarked to head past Friedel.

16:42: 10 mins to go and Rovers remain a goal to the good - its a safe bet that if they had all 11 players the game would have been in the bag.

16:40: McEveley nearly makes up for his early mistakes - he is allowed to run nearly the length of field unchecked, but he is just crowded off the ball at the last minute and his shoot goes wide.

16:38: 15 mins to go and Birmingham have a corner its swung in high but cleared. Birmingham maintain the pressure - Rovers just can't seem to clear. But Friedel saves the day as he just gets a finger tip to Dugarrys shot.

Rovers 1 Birmingham 0

16:35: McEveley is not having a brilliant day as yet another pass from him goes wrong.

Birmingham make a their final change and bring John for Rovers old boy Jeff Kenna.

16:34: Rovers make their second change and bring on Jansen for Cole.

16:32: Lazaridis gets booked for diving as the ref finally gives the decision Rovers way.

16:29: 20 mins to go Rovers are having a good second half despite the disadvantage. They are defending well and at times look like they might score again

16:28: Birmingham have a freekick 25 yards out after Taylor clearly blocked Morrisons run. It's taken and deflected out for a corner.

The corner comes into the back post - theres a flying headed which is only kept out by the upright.

16:25: Birmingham make their second change bringing on Kirivski for M.Johnson.

16:25: Birmingham close to levelling the score as Devlin cross is meet by Lazaridis - but Johansson is on hand to clear.

16:21: 30 mins to go and Rovers remain a goal to the good and in the past 5 minutes look the more likely to score.

16:20: Both sides seemed to have claimed down from their first half antics and are getting down to playing football.

Birmingham are half more of the ball, as you would expect, but Rovers are doing well not allowing to find their way through on goal.

16:15: Rovers are currently keeping Birmingham at bay but they do break through and nearly level the score with header just inches wide.

16:13: 5 mins into the second half and the Rovers fans are making their voice heard. They urge on Rovers and it nearly pays off as Duff has yet another shot.

16:10: Rovers come away with the ball, Cole brings it down passes to Duff, whose cross just seems to hang in the air but it finds it way to Thompson - but as a rush of blood to the head to finds row z.

16:07: Birmingham kick-off and put the pressure on Rovers straight away. Rovers defend well and Cole finds himself with the ball and only two defenders to beat - but he losses and the chance is lost.

15:48: Half time Rovers 1 Birmingham 0

But Rovers and down to ten men

15:48: There will be 2 minutes of extra time before the break - it will be a long two minutes as this both sides clearly need to calm down.

15:45: Rovers push forward is stopped as Lazaridis decides its his turn to hit the deck - at the moment it seems like Rovers ten men are playing against twelve.

15:43: 5 mins to go before half time and Rovers are doing well to stop the Birmingham attack.

It's a corner to Birmingham as Duff makes a good challenge in the area - the corner is whipped in and after a scramble is cleared.

15:40: Birmingham are having more of the possession and putting a good panto for the ref, as he is convinced by their performance and books Tugay for a challenge on Devlin.

15:38: Each side make a change Devlin comes on for Vickers. And Souness strenghtens his defence by bringing on Johansson for Yorke.

15:37: 10 mins to go before halftime, Rovers lead 1-0 but are down to ten men. At the moment Birmingham are not taking advantage of the extra man.

15:35: The game has turned into a free for all as Neill gets booked for a challenge on Dugarry - clear pay back Dugarry's challenge earlier on.

15:33: Todd challenged Cissie to which Savage to exception to - they got into a fight which ended with Todd being sent off.

15:31: Rovers are down to 10 men as Andy Todd is sent off for headbutting a Birmingham player.

15:29: The corner is played and after a scramble falls to Cole he turns and shoots - but is denied by the upright.

15:28: The free kick is whipped in by Thompson but is cleared it falls to Duff his shot is blocked but comes straight back to him. He's in more room this time and is only denied his second by a fine save.

15:25: Birmingham seem rattled from the goal and are flying in ever opportunity.

Birmingham get their second booking as Lazaridis pushes Neill away from the ball.

15:23: Goal to Rovers - from the freekick Cole finds himself in the box he's forced wide but manages to turn and cross along the deck. Yorke nearly taps in but is pushed off the ball - it doesn't matter as the ball falls to Duff

Rovers 1 Birmingham 0

15:21: Dugarry gets the first booking of the game after a mid-air challenge on Neill - Neill gets up after some treatment.

15:20: Thompson crosses from right to left and finds Duff but Birmingham defend well and come away with it - they are unchallenged and get a cross in but Friedel gathers well.

15:17: 15 mins gone and Bennett makes an excellent save to deny Cole from opening the scoring. Cole got around the back of the defence and shot low but the keeper and narrowed the angel well.

15:15: Rovers come close again as Duff takes a free kick 25 yards out on the right, the ball curls in but nobody can get on it.

15:14: It's a long clearance by Rovers Cole flicks it on to Yorke, he passes to Duff who lays it off to McEveley - his cross is low and weak but is deflected out for a corner, which comes to nothing.

15:11: Cisse fouls Neill and gets a good talking to by the ref - Thompson thumps the ball across field to Duff, but the ref makes him take again.

15:10: Rovers get a corner to be taken by Thompson - it's swung in everybody scrambles for it, but its eventually cleared.

15:09: McEveley takes a hard knock and is forced to the sideline but it's not long before he's back on.

15:06: 5 mins gone and it remains goalless with Rovers doing most of the defending.

But Rovers break and the ball falls kindly to Cole, its off a defender and into the feet of Duff - his shot os low but blocked.

15:04: Both side get an early touch of the ball. But it's Birmingham who have the first shot - Friedel makes a good save and it's out for a corner, which comes to nothing.

15:02: Todays referee, C Wilkes, gets the game underway with Rovers kicking off towards the Darwen end.

14:55: Rovers v Birmingham, Saturday 18th January 2003, KO 3pm

Todays team:

Rovers

Friedel, Neill, Tugay, Todd, Flitcroft, Cole, duff, Yorke, Thompson, Taylor, McEveley. Subs - Jansen, Johansson, Gillespie, Ostenstad, Kelly.

Birmingham

Bennett, Kenna, Vickers, Cisse, Savage, Lazaridis, M.Johnson, Morrison, Dugarry, D.Johnson, Clapham. Subs - Devlin, John, Kirovski, Coly, Vaesen.