Birmingham City secured a narrow 1-0 win at West Bromwich Albion as August Priske’s penalty ended the hosts’ 10-match unbeaten home league run.
West Brom defender Nat Phillips conceded the decisive spot-kick in the 41st minute after catching Priske with a clumsy challenge as both players contested a deep cross from Phil Neumann.
Priske calmly sent his penalty high to Max O’Leary’s left for his second Sky Bet Championship goal of the season, giving Chris Davies’ side a lead they defended until the final whistle.
It was the second successive derby in which Phillips had been at fault. His back pass allowed Fer Lopez to score in West Brom’s 1-0 defeat by Wolves in their previous match.
The result was West Brom’s first home league defeat since James Morrison took charge in February.
Both sides created chances during an entertaining opening 20 minutes. A mis-hit lobbed back pass from Phil Neumann briefly put Birmingham under pressure, but goalkeeper James Beadle raced well outside his area to beat Aune Heggebo to the loose ball and clear.
Birmingham then threatened at the other end, with O’Leary producing an excellent reflex save to keep out Jay Stansfield’s sliding effort from close range.
West Brom responded when Heggebo struck the foot of a post with a shot after the hosts broke quickly and Beadle was beaten. Heggebo was involved again when his poor clearing header from Alex Cochrane’s cross fell to Jhon Solis, although the Colombian midfielder mishit his effort from 12 yards.
The hosts came close to taking the lead in the 28th minute, but Felix Horn Myhre headed just over with more than half the goal to aim at. Callum Styles also tested Beadle, curling a low free-kick around Birmingham’s three-man wall before the goalkeeper tipped it behind.
Birmingham almost doubled their advantage before the interval. O’Leary made another fine reaction save to divert Neumann’s powerful downward header over the bar.
West Brom continued to press after the break. O’Leary got a hand to Cochrane’s corner before four Albion players combined to block Solis’ shot from six yards.
Substitute Patrick Roberts appealed for a penalty after going down following minimal contact from Chris Mepham, but the referee rejected the claim.
Ousmane Diakite sent an angled long-range effort narrowly wide as West Brom searched for an equaliser. Mepham then made an unlikely run in from the left, weaving past Stansfield and Solis before Beadle smothered his shot.
Beadle also tipped over substitute Barney Stewart’s glancing header from Jimmy-Jay Morgan’s cross, while Stansfield curled straight at O’Leary after Max Bird won possession high up the pitch.
West Brom right-back Brayann Pereira sliced a shot high and wide after running 40 yards from inside his own half. In the closing moments, O’Leary used his foot to deny Birmingham substitute Demarai Gray at the near post.
