Birmingham comes from behind to beat Blackburn 2-1

Published Aug. 21, 2010 6:37 p.m. ET

foxsports

Craig Gardner scored twice as Birmingham recovered from a goal down to beat Blackburn 2-1 and register its first Premier League win of the season.

Blackburn was marginally the better side in a disappointing first half, and the visitors should have gone ahead in the 50th minute.

Striker Nikola Zigic, who made his first start for Birmingham since his summer move from Valencia, fouled Christopher Samba, but the excellent Ben Foster made a superb save from Morten-Gamst Pedersen's penalty.

Rovers did take a 1-0 advantage not long after when Steven Nzonzi headed home from a corner, but the lead lasted only three minutes as James McFadden's clever pass set up Gardner for the equalizer.

Foster, who is hoping to force his way back into the England squad after moving from Manchester United in the summer, made another good save from Nikola Kalinic before Samba hit the post with a header.

And Blackburn was left to rue those missed chances when Gardner sealed the win in the 71st minute, his low 30-yard strike appearing to catch Blackburn 'keeper Paul Robinson unawares.

Robinson was called by England for its last friendly match, but immediately withdrew and announced his international retirement.

Foster, meanwhile, was not included in Fabio Capello's squad, but Birmingham manager Alex McLeish believes the 27-year-old 'keeper has a good chance of challenging Manchester City's Joe Hart for the England number one jersey.

''He was excellent. The first home game and he's saved us points already,'' McLeish told the Press Association.

''It's a brilliant start for him, he made the most brilliant penalty save. I think Joe's in pole position for England at the moment but with performances like that it's going to be a great battle between two great young goalkeepers.''

Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce said Foster had ''won them the game,'' adding: ''We completely dominated the game, created far more chances than Birmingham but failed to take them.''