Birmingham City 1-0 Milton Keynes Dons

Jacques Maghoma's goal was his fourth of the season

Jacques Maghoma's goal was enough for Birmingham City to beat struggling MK Dons and move to within one point of the Championship play-off places.

The Dons came closest in the first half when Daniel Powell forced Tomasz Kuszczak into a smart save.

After the break, Blues striker Clayton Donaldson smashed against the crossbar from just eight yards out.

But Maghoma grabbed the winner after 63 minutes by twisting and turning before firing home left-footed from 12 yards.

In the dying moments substitute Demarai Gray was denied by the post but it mattered little as Gary Rowett's side earned their second win in eight matches.

Despite the defeat, the Dons, who had two shots on target all match, remain 20th after Charlton and Bristol City both lost.

Karl Robinson's side never really got into the game, with their former midfielder Stephen Gleeson rolling past the post and David Martin saving from Jon Toral's free-kick in a lacklustre first half.

Dons captain Dean Lewington might count himself lucky not to have conceded a penalty when Blues claimed he handleda cross from Viv Solomon-Otabor in the area before the break.

But after Donaldson scuppered a chance to make it 10 for the season, Maghoma finished with aplomb and Birmingham were never really troubled as MK Dons remain without a Championship away win since their opening day victory at Rotherham.

Birmingham manager Gary Rowett:

"I think we were well worth our win and should have gone on and made it more comfortable.

"I felt with Clayton Donaldson back was a massive lift for us. I thought Jon Toral was really good playing with lots of quality and Jacques Maghoma was brilliant as well. I think those three were very difficult for MK Dons to handle.

"It was a magnificent goal from Maghoma. I've looked at the goal again and there were five defenders between him and the goal and as he turns all five go the wrong way as he hits a great finish. He deserved that goal."

MK Dons manager Karl Robinson:

"We were beaten by the better team. We rode our luck. It wasn't our day. The changes I made didn't work.

"Losing Daniel Powell with a leg injury so early in the game was a big loss. Once he came off I thought we went backwards.

"The work ethic was there. I was proud of their effort but we had an off day. We just didn't turn up and I cannot put my finger on the reason.

"But we are learning all the time and we are going to get better by the back end of the season."