Five-star Birmingham keep on climbing

BIRMINGHAM, England: A Cameron Jerome double gave Birmingham a 2-1 win over Blackburn as Alec McLeish's side claimed a fifth consecutive win in the Premier League for the first time in the club's history on Tuesday.

Ryan Nelsen ensured a nervy finish for Birmingham but McLeish's men held out for three points that lifted them to sixth place in the table.

Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce restored Jason Roberts and Nikola Kalinic to his side at the expense of fellow strikers Franco Di Santo and Benni McCarthy while El-Hadji Diouf and Morten Gamst Pedersen replaced the injured Vince Grella and David Hoilett.