Birmingham are through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup following a 3-0 victory over Sheff Wed.
Beausejour, Martins and Murphy net for Birmingham
Birmingham City are through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup following a comprehensive 3-0 victory over League One Sheffield Wednesday at St Andrews.
Blues wasted little time getting their noses in front with Jean Beausejour side-footing home with consummate ease with six minutes on the clock after connecting with Lee Bowyer's neat cutback.
One soon became two when new loan signing Obafemi Martins opened his account for the club after getting the better of Michael Morrison and slotting home despite the attentions of Reda Johnson.
The game was effectively over six minutes after half-time when left-back David Murphy lashed the ball home from close range despite an apparent foul by Bowyer on Owls keeper Nicky Weaver.
The goal effectively killed off the contest and, despite loud vocal support from the vast Wednesday following, their efforts were in vain as their team were unable to reward them with a consolation effort.
Alex McLeish's side needed only six minutes to take the lead through Beausejour's first goal for the club.
Alexander Hleb's vision picked out Bowyer's late run and the former England midfielder sent the ball across the danger area towards Beausejour, who was unmarked as he side-footed the ball past Weaver.
Wednesday tried to retaliate and it needed a fine tackle by Roger Johnson to deny Neil Mellor as he prepared to shoot.
But Birmingham were soon back on the offensive and Weaver parried away a powerful Keith Fahey free-kick.
It was one-way traffic and Weaver blocked a close-range effort from Beausejour after good play by Murphy.
It came as no surprise when Martins scored his first goal for City after 17 minutes.
Exposed
Hleb was again the creator with a pass which Martins was able to take into his stride before firing past the exposed Weaver into the far corner of the net.
James O'Connor became the first player to be yellow carded after 22 minutes for chopping down Hleb.
It soon became clear Hleb could not continue and he was stretchered off before being replaced by David Bentley.
Birmingham continued to dominate and Johnson was only just off target with a header from a Fahey free-kick.
Owls boss Gary Megson made a defensive change after 27 minutes with Richard Hinds replacing Mark Reynolds.
Cameron Jerome prodded wide from three yards out from a low Bentley cross to the near post after getting in front of Weaver.
In a rare Wednesday attack Murphy made a good block on Morrison's attempt.
Tommy Spur became the second Owls player to be booked after 35 minutes for a foul on Beausejour.
Wednesday enjoyed their best spell of the half and Mellor just failed to connect with a low cross from Daniel Jones after he had got past Stephen Carr.
But in injury-time Bentley shot just wide after the Owls were caught on the counter-attack.
Changes
Megson made two more changes at half-time with Mark Beevers and Liam Palmer replacing Morrison and O'Connor.
Blues boss McLeish replaced Jerome with Kevin Phillips for the second half.
When the action restarted Doyle got his body behind a low 25-yard drive from Palmer, while at the other end Weaver punched away a powerful Bentley effort.
After 53 minutes City went further ahead through Murphy. Weaver punched away Fahey's corner to the near post under pressure from Bowyer but Murphy was first to react and drilled his shot home.
Martins should have made it 4-0 but he shot over the bar from close range from Bentley's low centre.
Roger Johnson was booked for a challenge on Hinds and he was replaced shortly afterwards by Jordon Mutch.
Beevers was yellow carded for hauling down Bowyer but much of the sting had gone out of the game give the control Birmingham were enjoying.
| Birmingham City |
Team Statistics |
Sheffield Wednesday |
| 3 |
Goals |
0 |
| 2 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 8 |
Shots on Target |
2 |
| 3 |
Shots off Target |
5 |
| 7 |
Blocked Shots |
3 |
| 10 |
Corners |
4 |
| 7 |
Fouls |
16 |
| 0 |
Offsides |
1 |
| 1 |
Yellow Cards |
4 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 57 |
Possession |
43 |
|
