Birmingham on the up as Black Cats slump

BIRMINGHAM climbed out of the Championship relegation zone and pushed Sunderland further into trouble with a crucial 3-1 win over their fellow strugglers on Tuesday.

David Davis put Birmingham in front after 28 minutes at St Andrew’s and Jeremie Boga headed in from close range to double their lead just before half-time.

Sam Gallagher added Birmingham’s third before Bryan Oviedo scored a consolation for Sunderland with seven minutes left.

Birmingham move up to 20th, while Sunderland, nicknamed the Black Cats, slipped to second-bottom of the second-tier table.

At the other end, Derby missed the chance to close the gap on leaders Wolves as they were held to a goalless draw at Millwall.

Australia’s Tim Cahill, who left Millwall almost 14 years ago to join Everton, was parad- ed to home fans after sealing a return to the club until the end of the season.

But in a game of few clear-cut chances, Millwall could have done with Cahill on the pitch as Derby saw Ikechi Anya’s late effort ruled out for offside.

Robert Snodgrass scored a 90th-minute winner to give promotion-chasing Aston Villa a 1-0 win at Sheffield United.

S c o t l a n d m i d f i e l d e r Snodgrass curled in a left-foot- ed effort from the edge of the penalty area to snatch all three points.

V i l la moved up to t h i rd place following a fifth straight v ic tor y, now on l y a poi nt behind Derby.

The Blades, meanwhile, are seventh and two points off the top six.

Middlesbroug h a nd Sheffield Wednesday a lso battled through a goalless draw at the Riverside Stadium, which did little for the home side’s hopes of making up ground on the top si x.

Preston, though, moved to just three points adrift of sixthplaced Fulham after a 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest.

Reading eased the pressure on boss Jaap Stam with a comfortable 3-1 win at struggling Burton.

It finished 0-0 between Hull and Leeds at the KCOM Stad iu m a s t he v i s it or s lost ground in t he f ight to reach t he playof fs.