Birmingham City 2-1 Swansea City: Troy Deeney inspires Blues to victory

Troy Deeney, who wore the captain's armband having been recalled, fires home his second goal since joining Birmingham

Troy Deeney scored one goal and created another as Birmingham City beat Swansea City 2-1 to end their seven-game winless streak.

The recalled Deeney was handed the captain's armband and repaid boss Lee Bowyer with a clinical opener.

Swansea thought they had earned point when Michael Obafemi swept in his first goal for the club.

But Bowyer's side deservedly won it as Riley McGree tapped home at the second attempt after Deeney's pass.

It was a memorable day for Blues fan Deeney, who celebrated his first open-play goal since joining his boyhood club from Watford in August.

But it was a forgettable afternoon for a Swansea side who failed to hit the heights of their recent displays.

Russell Martin's team stay 15th, with Birmingham a point and two places worse off.

Swansea had come into the contest with momentum after rousing victories over Cardiff and West Brom, though it did not show in a tired performance.

Birmingham almost struck early when Ben Hamer fed Matt Grimes and his underhit lay-off presented possession to Gary Gardner 25 yards from goal.

Hamer was stranded, but Swansea wriggled off the hook as Gardner's first-time effort flew wide of the vacant net.

The visitors took charge of possession as they settled, creating a first sight of goal as Ethan Laird's pull-back was sliced wide by Olivier Ntcham.

But for all Swansea's control of the ball in the first half, it was Birmingham who found the net when Scott Hogan headed in from Tahith Chong's cross.

The hosts thought they had ended a goal drought which stretched back to 15 September only for a tight offside call to halt celebrations.

Birmingham's moment finally came just after the break, as they pounced ruthlessly on a loose touch from Laird.

Michael Obafemi celebrates a first Swansea goal in his fourth appearance for the club

Chong drove down the left flank and picked out Deeney, who took a touch before guiding a shot across Hamer and into the far corner.

Hogan should have scored as he ran clear only for Hamer to save Swansea, before fit-again Obafemi rolled one effort wide and then took his second chance in style.

Picked out by a measured Ryan Manning pass, the £1.5m signing from Southampton raced clear before firing under Matija Sarkic.

But Birmingham came again, with Deeney hooking a pass through to McGree, who was initially denied by Hamer but then had the simple task of tapping into the empty net.

Birmingham head coach Lee Bowyer:

"I hope this is a kickstart, I have said on a few occasions we haven't been that bad but we have kept missing chances. Today was the same we scored two but four, five easy I think we should have scored.

"This will give the players a bit of a boost and I am really pleased for them because it's difficult when you keep working as hard as they are working and not getting any reward for it.

"Today they have got their reward so now we have just got to get ready for next week and see what we can do there."

Swansea head coach Russell Martin:

"He is offside, Chong, in the build-up [to the winner], I thought it was obvious. But it is what it is.

"We looked tired today. I thought first half we were okay. We put a lot of work into them without being threatening. They didn't have a threat either. We had one scary moment where we gave the ball away. We got in the box a lot and if we'd shown a bit more composure we have a chance.

"Second half they started really well and we didn't. That's what's cost us the game.

"It's down to energy. We were not quite ready for that. Emotionally and physically it's been a tough week for them. We will be ready at some point - we will get there.

"It's a small bump in the road today and we need to make sure we keep improving. I really like where we are heading."