Bristol City 0-1 Birmingham City: Skipper Harlee Dean ends Blues winless run
- Published
Harlee Dean headed in Birmingham's fifth goal in eight away matches
Harlee Dean struck late as Birmingham City ended a six-game winless run with victory over Bristol City.
The Blues captain climbed highest in the six-yard box to head Jeremie Bela's corner past Daniel Bentley, a deserved reward for the visitors' second-half ambition.
After a dire opening half, the Robins almost went ahead straight after the break when Tomas Kalas met Chris Brunt's inswinging corner at the back post and directed a shot goalwards, but Maxime Colin cleared off the line.
But Blues then came alive, when Ivan Sanchez cut into the box and fired a fierce left-footed strike against the post moments before goalkeeper Bentley kept out Ivan Sunjic's piledriver.
And, with the pressure mounting, Dean's second goal of the season earned a valuable win.
Birmingham had won just once on the road this season, but history repeated itself as they maintained their stunning record at Ashton Gate with an eighth win in their last 10 visits.
Form also suggested that the goals would not be flowing, with Blues having scored and conceded just four times in seven away trips this campaign, while the Robins had netted three times in their previous five home games.
A dour first half lived up to this billing with just one half-chance, Blues keeper Neil Etheridge coming off his line to deny Callum O'Dowda when he got on the end of a free-kick.
Birmingham came out of their shells after the break, especially after the late introduction of Croatian debutant Alen Halilovic for the final 20 minutes, and their enterprise was rewarded from the familiar set-piece route.
Famara Diedhiou fired just over in stoppage-time for the hosts, but Blues comfortably held out for a fourth away clean sheet this season as Dean Holden's men failed to spark in front of goal.
A third win of the season lifted Aitor Karanka's side up to 16th, while a second defeat in three matches dropped the Robins out of the play-off places down to eighth.
Bristol City boss Dean Holden told BBC Radio Bristol:
"We were disappointing, particularly in the final third - we weren't able to open them up. Credit to Birmingham. They've come here for a point, sat behind the ball and made it difficult for us and they go away with all three.
"We've had one cleared off the line at the start of the second half and you never know. If you get that goal, they have to come out and open up.
"We've had a lot of play around their box and it just wasn't quite there for us - we have to swallow it. Now it's about the response."
Birmingham head coach Aitor Karanka told BBC WM:
"I knew that the team was going to have a good response. We had a good meeting when I told them just to believe and to approach the game in the way we approached it, supporting and helping each other.
"If we approached the game in the way we did against Barnsley, it was going to be difficult to win.
"The first half we were good but we couldn't switch-off because they're a very good team. We needed to keep going in the same way. When you're going 100 per cent the other team get frustrated and we created a lot of chances."