Millwall 1-3 Birmingham City

Wes Thomas' 84th-minute goal ensured Birmingham ended a run of seven games without a win

Birmingham City picked up their first away win of the Championship season with a 3-1 victory at Millwall as the Lions' poor run continued.

Clayton Donaldson's close-range goal and David Cotterill's swerving shot put Blues in control before half-time.

Lee Gregory pulled a goal back for Millwall after the break, but Wes Thomas settled the game with a right-foot finish inside the penalty area.

The result ends a run of seven games without a win for Lee Clark's side.

For Millwall, the defeat leaves them with just one point from a possible 15.

They missed a number of chances to score before falling behind to Donaldson's 32nd-minute close-range finish.

Scott McDonald fired wide inside the first 30 seconds and Mathias Ranegie headed just the wrong side of the post.

Donaldson opened the scoring after holding the ball up well on the edge of the area and feeding Cotterill down the right.

He then ambled to the six-yard box unmarked to tap the winger's low cross into an empty net.

Eight minutes later Millwall gave away a free-kick 25 yards out and Cotterill's swerving shot deceived goalkeeper David Forde as it bounced into the net to double Blues' lead.

Gregory put the hosts back in contention nine minutes after the interval as he lifted the ball over an advancing Darren Randolph for his first goal since signing from non-league Halifax.

Mark Beevers missed a chance to haul Millwall level on the hour when he met Shaun Williams' free-kick with a free header six yards out, but he planted the ball straight at Randolph.

Blues survived a late onslaught from the hosts before wrapping up victory when substitute Thomas tucked in Cotterill's cross with six minutes remaining.

Millwall manager Ian Holloway:

"That's the Championship. We have to stop defending like that, they've had four shots and scored three. It's deja vu, and we have a lot of work to do.

"I've reminded the lads that If we'd had some of these results in our last eight games last season we wouldn't still be in this division.

"But no-one folded, we managed to get ourselves back in it and to all intents and purposes I thought we were going to get something. But we don't seem to be scoring easy goals like other teams are."

Birmingham City manager Lee Clark told BBC WM:

"We should be at the other end of the table but our issue this season has been the last 30 minutes in games. We've given away 11 points from winning positions.

"If we had taken even half of those points dropped from winning positions we'd be in the top 10 and everyone would be talking positively about us.

"Previously, when we've had a setback we haven't responded, but this time we did. I said at half-time they would throw the kitchen sink at us and fortunately the players responded."