Jay Stansfield converted a late penalty to hand Birmingham City another precious three points on their crusade to the Championship.
Stansfield converted from 12 yards five minutes from time to ensure Blues beat Bristol Rovers 2-1 after winning the penalty by flicking the ball onto Connor Taylor’s hand.
Keshi Anderson had given below-par Blues an early lead before the lively Gatlin O’Donkor levelled for Rovers.
Blues opened the scoring inside three minutes at the Memorial Stadium. Kieran Dowell’s cross from the right missed everyone in Rovers’ box to reach Anderson and he set himself before bending the ball around his marker into the top corner.
Be it brave or naive, Rovers tried to play Blues at their own game. They are a possession-based side under new boss Inigo Calderon and refused to play a back-five with a low block.
They thought they had equalised through O’Donkor in the 14th minute but the assistant referee on the far side flagged for offside after the striker had slotted underneath Ryan Allsop.
O’Donkor soon managed to beat Allsop legitimately. Kofi Shaw’s free-kick delivery was headed back across goal by Taylor and O’Donkor nodded in from close range.
On-loan Oxford United striker O’Donkor almost scored a second when he beat Allsop to the punch and headed onto the crossbar. Allsop did well to deny Ruel Sotiriou on the follow-up.
Sotiriou brought the best out of Allsop on the stroke of half-time. Another Rovers free-kick routine saw Shaw slide in Sotiriou and his powerful shot was tipped onto the post by Allsop.
Blues started the second half with more intent and Anderson stung the fingertips of Gas goalkeeper Jed Ward after bullishly dispossessing Taylor Moore.
But, similarly to the first half, Rovers quickly wrestled back control. Willum Willumsson inadvertently handed Sotiriou another gilt-edged chance when trying to win the ball back in his own defensive third. Allsop raced out of his goal and Sotiriou blazed over the bar.
Rovers couldn’t make Blues pay and Stansfield cashed in late on. League One’s record buy dashed onto an Alex Cochrane throw-in and his cross clearly struck the arm of Taylor.
The home players tried to put Stansfield off but he calmly sent Ward the wrong way to seal Blues’ 27th league victory of the season.
Don't miss your Birmingham Mail Blues at Wembley special souvenir edition
Chris Davies's runaway League One leaders face Peterborough United on Sunday, April 13 in the final of the Vertu Trophy, looking to clinch the first past of a double after a season of incredible success.
The St Andrew's all-stars return to Wembley for the first time since their famous Carling Cup victory 14 years ago.
And to mark the big day in the capital, we've produced a stunning 40-page special which is a real must for all Blues supporters.
It is packed with interviews with boss Davies and Blues' key men, including hotshot striker Jay Stansfield, as well as a look back at the club's long road to Wembley.
There's a fascinating trip down memory lane to look at the Blues' previous two wins in the Football League trophy, in the 1991 Leyland Daf Cup and the 1995 Auto Windscreens Shield, with new interviews and pictures from the two glorious days.
Buy now and have it delivered directly to your door. Alternatively you can purchase in most supermarkets, high street retailers and independent newsagents in Birmingham from April 2, 2025.
Ryan Allsop 7
Allsop’s distribution was quite good and he made a good stop from Sotiriou towards the end of the first half when Rovers were dominant.
Ethan Laird 6
Laird was given a bit longer by Chris Davies after making his return on Saturday. He wasn’t his usual self on the right but had a good battle with Mola.
Christoph Klarer 6
Klarer stepped in a few times to win the ball back and get Blues playing forward, but he was given a battle by the lively O’Donkor. It was unusual to see Klarer not completely dominant.
Ben Davies 6
Davies was also given the slip a few times by O’Donkor – quite literally at one stage in the second half. The defender couldn’t find his range with his switches to Laird.
Alex Cochrane 6
Cochrane played his part in the winner with the throw-in to Stansfield who won the penalty. The left-back wasn’t at his best, but he was good enough.
Tomoki Iwata 6
Iwata was relatively tidy in possession without hitting any really purposeful passes that hurt Rovers. He rejected the chance to shoot in the first half in favour of a reverse pass and miscued it.
Marc Leonard 5.5
Leonard fell below the standards he set against Shrewsbury on Saturday and he could ill-afford a below-par game with Paik primed to reclaim his place alongside Iwata in midfield. The Scot was hooked 10 minutes into the second half.
Kieran Dowell 6
Dowell was nowhere near his best. The 27-year-old grabbed another assist for Anderson’s goal but his delivery wasn’t as good as usual.
Willum Willumsson 6
The Iceland international’s influence grew as the match wore on. He won a couple of headers in the second half and showed strength to hold off challenges.
Keshi Anderson 8*
Anderson was Blues’ brightest player throughout. He scored a goal out of virtually nothing and almost lashed another in after half-time. The winger is undoubtedly a Player of the Season contender.
Jay Stansfield 7
You can’t keep Stansfield down. The striker was on the fringes of the game all evening but produced when it mattered again.
SUBS
Paik Seung-ho (for Leonard, 56) 6
Paik was tidy in possession and combined with Anderson by taking up some useful positions on the left.
Alfons Sampsted (for Laird, 78) N/A
Alfie May (for Dowell, 78) N/A
Grant Hanley (for Stansfield, 90) N/A
Not used: Peacock-Farrell, Harris, Jutkiewicz
