Southampton 4 Birmingham City 3: Saints thriller denies Bruce's drive for top

George Burley's relief was palpable when his Southampton team sneaked home 4-3 against a Birmingham side looking to go top of the Championship.

The Saints appeared to be coasting to victory last night when they led 3-0 inside the opening 19 minutes only to have to fend off a late rally from the Blues who had won their previous four matches on their travels.

Indeed, the passions were running so high in the home camp that goalkeeper Kelvin Davis had to be separated from his own defender, Chris Baird, by the referee, Iain Williamson, in the closing seconds after the Blues had claimed their third goal.

Burley said: "What happened between Kelvin and Chris was out of character when emotions took over but I have had a strong word with them and they know - and I know - it won't happen again."

Steve Bruce, the Birmingham manager, also left St Mary's shaking his head, trying to fathom out exactly what had happened to their seven-match unbeaten run which had seen them threatening to take over the summit with one more victory.

His side started brightly enough but suddenly found themselves three goals adrift when Kenwyne Jones thumped home a fierce shot, then connected with a powerful header before setting up Rudi Skacel with a drive from outside the box.

The score line could have been even more bleak for the visitors because defender Gareth Bale struck a post from a free-kick and Jones inexplicably wasted a hat-trick opportunity when he somehow cleared his own header off the line.

But Birmingham fought back courageously after twice hitting the post and scored two goals themselves in as many minutes through substitute Cameron Jerome and then Nicklas Bendtner.

The home side thought they had seen off their opponents when substitute Bradley Wright-Phillips scored with his first touch 12 minutes from time, but, in time added on, Radhi Jaidi headed home off Baird's body.

There was still enough seconds left for substitute D J Campbell to put a header on top of the home goal before the final whistle saved the Saints.

Bruce said: "That was a fantastic game of football, no doubt about that, but we made elementary mistakes and individual errors cost us dearly.

"I said before the season started that I fancied Southampton and West Brom to be there or thereabouts at the end of the season and the way we are playing we will be there as well."

Southampton (4-4-2): Davis; Ostlund, Lundekvam, Baird, Bale; Surman (Viafara, 83), Wright, Pele, Skacel (Licka, 89); Jones (Wright-Phillips, 77), Raisik. Substitutes not used: Bialkowski (gk), Makin.

Birmingham (4-4-2): Maik Taylor; Kelly, Martin Taylor, Jaidi, Sadler; Danns (Jerome, 51), Muamba (Nafti, 59), Clemence, Larsson (Campbell, 77); Bendtner, McSheffrey. Substitutes not used: Doyle (gk), Upson, Nafti, Jerome.

Referee: I Williamson (Berkshire).

* An injury-time winner from the substitute Arturo Lupoli gave Derby a 2-1 win and a sixth consecutive victory as 10-man Ipswich narrowly failed to steal a point at Pride Park last night. A Gary Roberts volley gave the away side a first-half lead before Steve Howard's headed equaliser and Simon Walton's sending-off after 59 minutes set up a tense finish. Lupoli, on a season-long loan from Arsenal, headed home the winner.