ands finally, the report from the telegraph

Brawl blights vital win by Barnsley

By Duncan White
Last Updated: 3:49am BST 10/04/2007

Match details

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Barnsley (0) 1 Birmingham City (0) 0

No sooner had the final whistle been blown on this extraordinarily tense game than a 30-man brawl erupted on the halfway line. With the Barnsley management sprinting on and players joining from every corner of the pitch, the situation was spinning out of control. Referee Mike Russell showed the red card to Barnsley's Bobby Hassell and Birmingham's Neil Danns but the melee was restarted, with Mehdi Nafti particularly animated. This was a crucial result at both ends of the Championship but it did not excuse the shameful denouement.

Brawl blights vital win by Barnsley
Scrappy win: Barnsley assistant manager Ryan Kidd is confronted by angry Birmingham players

It was not clear what had started the brawl but Russell was decisive in sending off Hassell and Danns and they will be suspended for three games for violent conduct, contingent on appeals. Both clubs can expect to receive an FA charge for failing to control their players.

Steve Bruce said he could not see what was going on but was angry about the way Barnsley assistant manager Ryan Kidd had got involved. "I'm going to wait for the referee's report," Bruce said. "I see Kidd wading in, I don't know what that's all about. But as I say, it would be unfair of me to comment on the whole incident."

Barnsley manager Simon Davey said he had run onto the pitch in an effort to control his players and diffuse the situation, and is hopeful Hassell can be exonerated on appeal. "Apparently there was an altercation between the two players," Davey said. "Bobby said he hasn't done anything but he's been shown a straight red. So we'll have a look at the video and decide whether to make an appeal.

"I don't know if someone said anything. It happened as soon as the whistle went. I don't know if it was frustration or if someone said something. As far as I'm concerned no one from my dressing room said anything." All of which overshadowed what was a courageous victory for Barnsley, the three points taking them above Leeds and out of the relegation zone. Daniel Nardiello scored the only goal of the game early in the second half, cutting in from the left flank to whip in an excellent curling shot off the far post. Colin Doyle was petrified.
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Birmingham had been flat until they went behind and the goal seemed to snap them out of their stupor. Bruce sent on Nicklas Bendtner and the Danish international gave the visitors sharpness. Indeed, it was Bendtner who came closest to scoring an equaliser from Birmingham's barrage of set pieces, volleying against the inside of the post after Gary McSheffrey's corner had caused confusion. Radhi Jaidi headed over twice and DJ Campbell had an overhead kick blocked by Hassell but for all their opportunities, Birmingham simply could not beat Nick Colgan.

Birmingham, having failed to score in both their Easter games, are in danger of slipping adrift of the automatic promotion places due to their chronic impotence.

"It's cruel, isn't it?" Bruce said. "How can you create so many chances and keep missing? I think everyone in the stadium thought it was a matter of time before we would score." How Birmingham needed the penalty box nous of the watching Andy Cole. "I'm sure he would have tucked one of those chances away," a rueful Bruce said.

 

So the Times report has Bruce saying he didn't see Kidd wading in and this one says he did see it nt

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I noticed that - bizarre isn't it. Do you think we can stay up?

 

Call me fickle! Before the game yesterday I thought we were going down, but what a difference a day makes, reckon 2 more wins (if one of them is at Southend) should be enough, main thing is that it's back in our hands.