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Championship

Mar 29, 2014 at 3pm UK

Birmingham Birmingham City
2-4
Bournemouth

Macheda (57', 73')

FT(HT: 0-3)

Ritchie (13'), Grabban (20', 28' pen.), Harte (52')

Lewis Grabban brace fires Bournemouth to win

By Simon Sinclair, Reporter | 29 March 2014

A brace from Lewis Grabban, along with strikes from Matt Ritchie and Ian Harte, hands Bournemouth victory over Birmingham City in the Championship.

Bournemouth cruised to a 4-2 victory over Birmingham City in their Championship clash at St Andrew's.

The home side started the game well and could have taken the lead in the early on when Jordan Ibe's corner was prodded at goal by Callum Reilly, but his effort went just wide of the post.

However, it was the visitors who went ahead after 13 minutes. Lewis Grabban raided forward and lifted a cross to the back post, where Matt Ritchie was to fire the ball into the net.

Bournemouth doubled their advantage when Marc Pugh lifted a cross into the area and the home side failed to clear their lines, leaving Grabban to turn in the loose ball.

It got better for Eddie Howe's men when Grabban was brought down by Darren Randolph in the area and they were awarded a penalty. The striker took the spot kick himself and notched his second of the game.

After the break, the visitors extended their lead further when Ian Harte got the fourth goal. He picked up the ball following a clearance and launched a 25-yard effort into the top corner.

Birmingham got a goal back when Macheda latched onto an Ibe cross into the area, took the ball down and fired it past Lee Camp from close range.

Macheda reduced the deficit again when he picked up the ball 25 yards from goal and drilled an effort past Camp, but it was too little too late for the hosts.