Blackpool 1-0 Birmingham City

Steve Davies scored his first goal of the season for Blackpool in only his fourth start

Steve Davies's 55th-minute goal earned the Championship's bottom club Blackpool just their second win of the season as they beat Birmingham City.

The striker latched onto goalkeeper Joe Lewis's ball forward before outfoxing defender Paul Robinson and poking the ball past Darren Randolph.

Birmingham had twice come close to opening the scoring through Lee Novak and Michael Morrison in the first half.

However, the hosts held firm to move eight points away from safety.

Gary Rowett fell to his first defeat since taking charge of Blues, having seen his side go unbeaten throughout November.

Despite the Tangerines failing to win in their previous eight matches, they started the brighter of the two sides.

Davies believed he had put them in front when he headed in Chris Eagles' cross, only for it to be ruled out for offside, and the striker threatened again when his header was deflected over.

Birmingham's best openings came when Novak's shot from 12 yards was cleared off the line by Kevin Foley and Morrison failed to score from close-range.

Once Blackpool took the lead 10 minutes into the second half they grew in belief.

Loanee Jacob Murphy's shot from 18 yards, following a scintillating run down the right, was parried away and the 19-year-old striker almost embarrassed Randolph from 40 yards, only for the backpedalling keeper to tip the effort over the bar.

Blackpool manager Lee Clark: "I thought my team stuck to the game plan terrifically well.

"The feeling is the best feeling in the world in team sport at five o'clock on a Saturday - you cannot beat it with anything.

"But we're not getting overexcited, we've still got a big job on our hands and we'll keep progressing."

Birmingham manager Gary Rowett: "We never got going. You felt it was one of those games. You knew it was going to be scrappy.

"I don't think the pitch helped us play the way we wanted to play but you've got to manage that.

"There's a lot of them playing against their old manager and I think some of them expended a lot of nervous energy in getting up for the game and I don't think that helped them."