Birmingham City 3-0 Wednesday

Wednesday crashed out of the FA Cup at St Andrews as Birmingham City eased into the last eight with a comfortable 3-0 win.

Alex McLeish’s men, who will be involved in Carling Cup final action against Arsenal next weekend, made a rapid start and went 2-0 up thanks to goals from Jean Beausejour and Obafemi Martins.

The hosts looked comfortable throughout and added a third through David Murphy to seal their progression to the next round.

Wednesday’s defending, as usual in recent weeks, left plenty to desire but the visitors did show signs of improvement in the second half, without reaping the reward of a consolation goal.

Owls boss Gary Megson made two changes to the side that lost 3-0 at Tranmere Rovers in midweek. Neil Mellor returned to the starting eleven in place of the cup-tied Gary Madine, while Daniel Jones also started.

Wednesday needed a good start against their Barclays Premier League opponents but it was the home side who came flying out of the traps, seemingly eager to secure a comfortable progression into the next round and avoid an unwanted replay.

It took the hosts just seven minutes to break the deadlock when good work from Lee Bowyer found Jean Beausejour and the latter made no mistake in finding the back of the net to give Birmingham the lead.

City were cruising and it wasn’t long before they doubled their lead thanks to more questionable defending from the visitors.

Michael Morrison missed a defensive header and allowed Obafemi Martins the chance to add a second, neatly sending the ball beyond Owls stopper Nicky Weaver to make it 2-0.

It was looking like a big mis-match, with the Blues extremely comfortable in their lead and Wednesday seemingly dead and buried already.

It could have been 3-0 on the half-hour mark when Jerome got in front of the Owls defence from a dangerous cross to the front post but dinked his effort inches wide of goal.

The Owls made their first change with Richard Hinds replacing Mark Reynolds at the back.

Wednesday carved out a good chance to get back into the contest minutes later when Daniel Jones forced a corner and Gary Teale whipped in the set-piece, giving Michael Morrison and Mellor the chance to shoot on goal only to see their efforts well blocked by the Birmingham defence.

Despite Wednesday’s poor start, the visitors got more into the contest and had another great chance to reduce the deficit five minutes before the break.

Jones got the better of Stephen Carr on the left and sent a low cross across the face of goal, but both Teale and Mellor failed to connect and the ball trickled to safety.

But after Wednesday had shown signs of improvement in the latter stages of the first half they could well have found themselves 3-0 down at half-time.

Roger Johnson saw his header cleared off the line by Reda Johnson and Jerome sliced the rebound well wide.

Half-Time: Birmingham 2-0 Wednesday

Wednesday made a double substitution to start the second half with Liam Palmer and Mark Beevers coming on, replacing James O’Connor and Michael Morrison respectively.

Wednesday’s old foe Kevin Phillips was also introduced in the Birmingham attack, replacing Jerome.

And the visitors started the second half brightly, Clinton Morrison winning a free-kick in a dangerous position for a foul from Roger Johnson. Teale lined up the free-kick and gave Palmer the chance to hit a low shot straight into the arms of Doyle in the Birmingham goal.

But Wednesday’s bright start to the second half counter for nothing as the hosts added their third and all-but sealed their progression seven minutes into the second half.

It came in controversial fashion, with Blues midfielder Bowyer seemingly fouling Weaver from a corner kick and giving David Murphy the chance to drill in to an open net after the Owls stopper spilled the ball.

More woe could have followed immediately after, with substitute David Bentley twisting and turning before providing Martins with the chance to double his tally for the afternoon, but he sliced his effort over the bar.

Wednesday refused to throw in the towel and after stringing a few passes together, Spurr produced a good cross and Johnson headed just over the bar in front of the travelling Wednesdayites on the hour mark.

Another chance came for Mellor in the 64th-minute when Teale did well to beat his man and provided a cross which found Mellor, but the Birmingham defence blocked his effort again.

The Owls did enjoy more of the ball, with Birmingham happy to sit back on their lead and their progression to the next round of the competition.

Wednesday did have a chance to grab a late consolation goal when Morrison put Mellor through on goal, but the latter lashed his effort into the side netting.

Morrison also headed just wide from an inswinging Teale cross but the Owl couldn’t get on the scoresheet as the hosts eased through to the next round.

Full-Time: Birmingham 3-0 Wednesday