Brentford 1-2 Birmingham: Clayton Donaldson sinks former club

Former Brentford striker Clayton Donaldson scored and set up a second for Birmingham to consign his former side to their third home defeat in a row in an end-to-end 2-1 win.

He converted the penalty he earned when he was brought down in the box by Bees keeper Daniel Bentley with just 14 minutes gone. And his flicked header at the near post from David Cotterill's free-kick was powered home at the far post by defender Ryan Shotton to stretch the Blues lead.

Bees top scorer Scott Hogan reduced the arrears with 13 minutes to go, but Gary Rowett's side doggedly held out against wave after wave of attacks to claim the points.

Donaldson, who had not scored in the league since mid-September, was a constant thorn in the side for the visitors against his old side, who have now won just once in eight games.

But Brentford were the architects of their own downfall in a scrappy first half, with loose passes repeatedly gifting possession to a high-pressing Blues outfit.

The breakthrough came when Romaine Sawyers lost the ball on half way and Robert Tesche slipped a through ball into the channel for Donaldson to chase. Bentley claimed he pulled his hands away but referee Andrew Madley had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

The Bees should have been level midway through the half when first Lasse Vibe forced a full-length save from Tomasz Kuszczak and then somehow contrived to miss with the goal gaping on the half-hour.

Top scorer Scott Hogan drilled in a low cross which by-passed the keeper but the Denmark international failed to find the net despite having two bites of the cherry, courtesy of some brave defending on the line from Jonathan Grounds.

Blues extended their lead minutes later which a training ground routine, with Shotton slotting home at the back post.

Brentford thought they had a lifeline on 70 minutes when Ryan Woods' whipped cross was headed goalwards by Colin, only for the Blues stopper to tip onto the bar.

Brentford were given hope when Hogan nodded Josh Clarke's chip over Kuszczak into the empty net, and thought they had levelled when Andreas Bjelland tapped home minutes later only for the linesman to rule it out for an offside.

Brentford boss Dean Smith:

"If it was a boxing match it would have been stopped but football matches in the Championship change on small moments and we were a little loose once or twice and got punished for it.

"It was just one of those games where we didn't take our chances. It's when you don't create them that you need to worry."

Birmingham boss Gary Rowett:

"We've defended last ditch and part of that was because we were sloppy and didn't get close enough to them at times, but we've scored two good goals and then had to hang on and be gritty and tough.

"We had good opportunities to counter-attack and we had chances to go and get a third. We had to play with composure but Brentford are a good side and they will cause sides a lot of problems."