Eleven matches were played in the Championship, at the weekend, with the most notable development being Birmingham's return to the play-off positions on goal difference. The Blues, in sixth, currently have a goal tally worthy of the top three in the division.
Birmingham drew 1-1 with Cardiff City, after Marlon King failed to score a penalty, and Mark Hudson hammered home for the Welshmen. The draw helped maintain the Blues 46-year unbeaten streak over Cardiff at St. Andrews and those looking at the Championship betting will have been impressed.
In other games of note, Barnsley scored one to see off Peterborough, while Coventry beat beleaguered southerners, Portsmouth, 2-0. The honours were even in Lancashire, where West Ham and Burnley fought to a 2-2 stalemate.
Birmingham now have 60 points from 38 fixtures, a tally they share with the two teams below them in the league: Cardiff and Hull City. However, the Blues have a game in hand over both clubs, meaning that a win in their next game would give them some breathing space.
Erik Huseklepp scored the only goal for Chris Hughton's team from a counter-attack in the second-half at St. Andrews. The goal came against the run of play; the Blues looked utterly lost at times and followers of the Championship betting odds will be wondering if they can improve as the season draws to a climax.
Chris Burke managed to test Cardiff's custodian, David Marshall, but Hudson's goal was the talking point of the evening. He slammed home the assist from Peter Whittingham. Cardiff's Rudy Gestede hoofed the ball wide after the break.
Hughton believed that Birmingham put in a decent performance in the Midlands. "We were not at our best in the first half [but] we got an improvement in the second half, up against a team which floods the midfield."
The manager added that Hudson's goal was "the only chance they had", a point that Gestede's unsuccessful shot proved inaccurate. Cardiff coach, Malky Mackay said that he was "disappointed" with the result.
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