James McFadden's penalty lifted Birmingham City to the 40-point mark in the Barclays Premier League and piled on the relegation worries for Wigan Athletic at St. Andrew's after the 1-0 result. It means the Latics have now gone seven league games without a win, but City can look forward with confidence to another top-flight campaign after being written off as relegation certainties in August.

Wigan can have no complaints about the outcome as Alex McLeish's side had enough chances to secure the three points. Veteran Lee Bowyer turned in another excellent performance in the centre of midfield for City, who remain unbeaten at home since September. McLeish named an unchanged side, while Wigan counterpart Roberto Martinez brought back fit-again defender Titus Bramble and replaced Marcelo Moreno.

Paul Scharner brought Sebastian Larsson down midway in the Wigan half and, from his resulting free-kick, the woodwork denied the home side the opening goal after 14 minutes. Centre-back Scott Dann was first to react to the probing centre and his powerful header crashed against the crossbar and rebounded to safety with Chris Kirkland well beaten.

Dann had another opportunity to break the deadlock when an in-swinging corner from Larsson was met by the former Coventry City player, but he glanced his header wide. Wigan were now under the cosh and Kirkland was forced to parry away a fierce shot on the turn from Cameron Jerome at the expense of a corner.

Bowyer was making his mark and a challenge on him by Charles N'Zogbia earned the Wigan player a booking. Liam Ridgewell got forward for Blues to good effect down the left flank and he created two chances in quick succession from his crosses.

First Jerome was crowded out after taking too long to shoot and was robbed by Mohamed Diame, and then Kirkland denied McFadden at point-blank range. But in first-half injury-time, Blues went ahead through a penalty, McFadden sending Kirkland the wrong way.

Scotland, Moses on
Martinez made a double substitution for the second half with Jason Scotland and Victor Moses replacing Scharner and N'Zogbia respectively. Dann was disappointed not to have at least tested Kirkland when he flashed a header wide from yet another testing Larsson free-kick. Rodallega was booked after 55 minutes for kicking out at Johnson inside the Birmingham box.

Bowyer failed to make proper contact ten yards out after a half clearance from Bramble and it flashed harmlessly across the face of goal. McFadden wriggled his way into a shooting position and brought a low save out of Kirkland before he was replaced by Kevin Phillips after 64 minutes. In a rare moment of danger for the home side, Joe Hart did well to block Rodallega's close-range effort after McCarthy had teed him up.

Wigan defender Gary Caldwell was booked for holding back Jerome during a Birmingham counter-attack.

Flag incident
Referee's assistant Trevor Massey had to be carried off on a stretcher after he was struck in the face by the corner flag following a challenge by Ridgewell on McCarthy. He was replaced by fourth official Steve Bennett.

Blues captainStephen Carr appeared to have picked up a hamstring injury and was replaced by Craig Gardner. Gomez had a late chance to claim a point for Wigan, but sliced his shot just wide from a Moses cross and, in the final seconds, Phillips was thwarted by Kirkland.