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Championship | Gameweek 44
Apr 22, 2019 at 3pm UK
 
Birmingham logo

1-3

Crooks (22')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Maghoma (56'), Jota (63'), Mrabti (93')

Birmingham City guarantee survival and leave Rotherham United on the brink

Birmingham guarantee survival and leave Rotherham on the brink
© Reuters
The Blues came from a goal behind to ensure their survival.

Birmingham confirmed their Sky Bet Championship status for another season with a 3-1 victory at Rotherham which left the home side deep in the relegation fight.

Jacques Maghoma, Jota and Kerim Mrabti scored the second-half goals which earned the win after Matt Crooks had given Rotherham the lead midway through the first half.

The win took Garry Monk's side on to 50 points, 10 clear of Rotherham in the final relegation spot with two games of the season remaining.

But while Monk can now look to a summer of rebuilding after his club were docked nine points for breaching profitability and sustainability rules, Paul Warne faces difficult games with West Brom and Middlesbrough as Rotherham try to bridge the three-point gap to Millwall – who have a game in hand over the Millers.

Birmingham forced a third minute corner but Michael Morrison headed over at the far post from Maghoma's delivery.

Two minutes later Che Adams won a free-kick to the right of the home area but when a low ball from Jota found the Birmingham striker his shot was comfortable for Marek Rodak.

But the home side took the lead after 22 minutes when a low ball by Ryan Williams was cleared by Morrison only as far as Crooks.

He shot low into the bottom corner from 12 yards with the Birmingham captain claiming the Rotherham player had controlled the ball with his arm.

The Millers came close to a second goal with 10 minutes of the half remaining as Joe Newell's corner was headed goalwards by Semi Ajayi and the rebound was fired over by Vaulks from close range.

Lukas Juktiewicz shot wide after being played in by Jota in a rare Birmingham attack. The visitors forced successive corners just before the break but, from the second, Gary Gardner's header was wide of the target.

Birmingham started the second half in determined mood and levelled after 56 minutes as Maghoma fired home from inside the area after taking a pass from Jota and running at a crowded defence before firing across Rodak and into the corner.

Rodak kept out a Jutkiewicz shot at his near post just after the hour was Birmingham looked for a second.

It came shortly after as Adams skipped past Richard Wood and crossed low for Jota to pick his spot and guide the ball into the bottom right corner.

Harlee Dean blocked bravely as Richie Towell shot from the edge of the area with 15 minutes to go as Rotherham continued to battle for their Championship survival.

Camp was then forced to push the ball over the bar after it bounced in the area from an Ajayi header with 12 minutes remaining.

Deep into the five minutes of stoppage time Birmingham wrapped up the win as substitute Mrabti scored his first goal for the club, firing low under Rodak after being fed by Maghoma.

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Birmingham CityBirmingham23165241172453
2Wycombe WanderersWycombe25156450272351
3Wrexham25156437181951
4Huddersfield TownHuddersfield24145537191847
5Barnsley2512673933642
6Reading2412573933641
7Stockport CountyStockport25108737271038
8Leyton Orient24114932221037
9Mansfield TownMansfield2311483126537
10Bolton WanderersBolton2311483534137
11Charlton AthleticCharlton239772721634
12Lincoln CityLincoln258892830-232
13Stevenage238781820-231
14Exeter CityExeter2494112831-331
15Blackpool247983235-330
16Rotherham UnitedRotherham237792123-228
17Wigan AthleticWigan2376102123-227
18Northampton TownNorthampton2568112439-1526
19Peterborough UnitedPeterborough2474134146-525
20Bristol Rovers2474132238-1625
21Crawley TownCrawley2355132443-1920
22Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury2445152444-2017
23Cambridge UnitedCambridge2445152243-2117
24Burton Albion2428142038-1814


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