BIRMINGHAM CITY RESERVES 1 (Jervis 7)
STOKE CITY RESERVES 0

City's reserves slipped to a narrow 1-0 defeat against Birmingham City in their first Barclays Premier Reserve League South clash of the decade.

They created the majority of the chances in a lively game but couldn't convert them into goals after Jake Jervis had given Birmingham an early lead.

David Kitson started up front following his return from a loan spell with Middlesbrough while Danny Pugh, Leon Cort and Amdy Faye also featured against an inexperienced Blues outfit.

But it was the hosts who had the better of the opening stages with two chances in the opening seven minutes.

Firstly Jordon Mutch latched onto Shaun Timmin's long ball forward to lash wide from the edge of the area.

Then Jervis was fed a neat ball through the defence by Robin Shroot and he was to make no mistake, firing through Danzelle St. Louis-Hamilton's legs to break the deadlock.

Stoke weren't going to surrender though and pushed hard for the equaliser. Matt Cohen's long throw to the near post on 22 minutes caused confusion in the Birmingham backline and Daniel Preston was lucky to see his header drop past his own post and out for a corner.

Another opportunity was then created from the flag kick and Leon Cort was unlucky not hit the back of the net with a volley from 12 yards out.

Cort then saw a goalbound header deflected wide after he did well to lose his marker and meet another Matthew Lund corner.

The Potters continued to press forward and Kitson fired just wide of the far post with ten minutes of the first half remaining after good work from Pugh.

Kitson then turned provider for Laton Wint, who stabbed the ball narrowly wide of the post from the edge of the area.

The second half started in similar vein with Ben Marshall's powerful strike being blocked by Preston after the striker had taken advantage of a defensive slip.

Birmingham almost doubled their advantage on the hour mark when Akwasi Asante fired narrowly wide of the post before substitute Louis Moult saw his back post header thwarted by Jack Butland at the other end.

Lund then tested the home goalkeeper with a low left footed shot after turning past Timmins in the box.

More chances continued to be created by Stoke and Marshall was unlucky with two attempts on the 75 minute mark. His first, a low powerful shot, was saved by Butland before another strike whistled just over the crossbar.

Mark O'Connor's men had all the possession for the closing stage but couldn't find a way past a stubborn Birmingham defence, who held out for all three points.

BIRMINGHAM: Butland, Wilson, Timmins, Kerr, Preston, Mutch, Hubbins (Hronec 46), Sammons, Jervis (McPike 76), Shroot, Asante (Bogle 79). Subs (Not Used): Osturk, Rowe.

CITY: St Louis-Hamilton, Cohen, Wedderburn, Pugh, Cort, Davies, Lund, Amdy Faye, Marshall, Kitson, Wint (Moult 55). Subs (Not Used): McDonald, Parton, Urwin.