Great tip over by Neil Etheridge, straining to tip Marcus Tavernier's swinging free-kick away and over the top.

Four additional minutes at the end of the first-half.

George Saville almost gets in behind after a neat touch off by Chuba Akpom, but Maxime Colin outpaces him in recovery for Birmingham.

Ivan Sunjic clumsily bustles into Marcus Tavernier outside the Blues box and Boro get a free-kick.

Chuba Akpom has not had a great time against Mikel San Jose, who is the dominant force at the moment defensively for Blues.

Fouls him. Free-kick goes long. Second ball breaks for Jeremie Bela who swings in a dangerous cross, plenty of numbers for Blues but Dael Fry, Boro's towering centre-half, nods it clear.

Marcus Tavernier got a ball point-blank in the face as George Friend hooked a ball away.

He's having some treatment now. Up and running. Good stuff. Eye-waterer that one.

Middlesbrough's best chance has come from a set-piece but in open play, there's not been a lot to shout about for Neil Warnock.

Maybe it's the Covid effect. It's been tough of late.

They're really not winning anything in midfield.

Birmingham in Scott Hogan have an outlet when the ball goes forward and in Jeremie Bela and Jon Toral they have willing runners to provide support.

It's all going on.

Boro try to shepherd the ball out of play down by the byline but Maxime Colin nips in and pinches it.

He sets off toward the box and rolls a cross but it's blocked behind.

The corner comes to nothing. Real ebb and flow now.

Image source, Rex Features

Controversy!

Middlesbrough get the ball into the box, Dael Fry flicks into the six yard area and Sam Morsy meets the ball.

His header soars into the corner but strikes the woodwork and bounces out.

Jon Toral has an arm up trying to block but somehow the ball misses it. Boro were celebrating but Darren England shook his head and waved away.

VERY CLOSE.

Boro sweep a free-kick into the Birmingham penalty area but it's nodded away.

Marcus Tavernier skirts the edge of the box, perhaps with his excellent goal against Wycombe in mind, but Birmingham don't allow him time or space to get a shot away.

Jon Toral limps away. Corner to Boro.

Boro get down the left in reply to that opening goal, but Marc Bola's cross is dealt with by Mikel San Jose.

Marvin Johnson sets on another raid, but runs the ball out. You can sense the frustration about Boro. Not had chance to play.

Richard Wilford
BBC WM

That's the goal Blues have deserved. It was a cracking move.

It was a real picturebook goal from Blues and a classic example of what can happen when you get Scott Hogan in and around goal.

On the balance of play, Blues deserve that.

Birmingham pump a free-kick into the box, and Harlee Dean up there wins the header... but the ball zips to Marcus Bettinelli with hands outstretched to gather.

Boro survive.

I wonder if this will be the reset Boro need? The break gives the players a chance to go again.

Birmingham have bossed this so far.

Image source, Rex Features

Harlee Dean and Dael Fry collide in an aerial battle and both go down in pain.

Bruising. Dean is being patched up by the Birmingham physios, and now Fry too.

Bit of blood for both players.

Wholehearted fare.

Middlesbrough just not making it stick at the moment. Their forward passing could be described as 'hopeful' at the moment, tossed forward.

Birmingham keep looking for killer passes. Ivan Sanchez was away for Blues and then went down. Paddy McNair gestured that he didn't touch him and the Spaniard got up angrily.

Bubbling under this one.

Painful looking one for Middlesbrough defender Paddy McNair, Jon Toral's follow through catches him. Think he might have been booked. Yes. He has.

He's back up. The gaffer will like that.

Image source, Rex Features

Jon Toral seeks a pass through to Scott Hogan, but Marc Bola is there to cover. Boro smuggle the ball away.

Now this is a chance for Boro, Dael Fry's long boot forward is nodded on by Harley Dean and the home side pick up the second ball through Lewis Wing.

Bola wins a corner. Wing swings in a searing cross and George Saville guides it dangerously to the back post but Blues clear.

Boro have had just 25% possession on home soil, just to emphasise the point.

With that in mind, we haven't seen too much by way of attacking threat so far.

Aitor Karanka's Birmingham happy to get the ball forward quickly, looking to get in behind the Boro defensive line.

It is they who have had the bigger share of possession, moving the ball quickly and not letting Boro's harrassing pack of midfielders close down and intercept.

Marauding burst by George Friend, who made that his trademark down the left for Boro, now delivers the same for the Blues.

He's cut down in the process. Free-kick is a dangerous one, left edge of the box.

It's a long way out, Jeremie Bela looks at it - wraps a right foot round it but it dips and Marcus Bettinelli can claim it in the Boro goal.