West Ham United vs Birmingham City, 1st Leg

<b>FT</b> So the Hammers take a 2-1 lead to St Andrews for the second-leg of the semi-final on January 26. The tie is finely poised and you can follow it here on ESPNsoccernet.

<b>FT</b> But the Hammers defence held firm and a bit of luck gave them the winner.

<b>FT</b> West Ham dominated in the first half but when Blues equalised and then Obinna was sent off in the second-half it looked like it was all going to go wrong.

<b>FT</b> Well Avram Grant's amazing run in cup competitions continues... with a helping hand from Ben Foster.

Green kicks it down the pitch and the ref blows for full-time.

Carr lumps one last effort into the box. Jerome turns in the box and Green grasps his shot at the near post.

It's all got a bit scrappy, which will suit the Hammers as time ticks away.

Fahey takes a freekick on the right of the box, but he hits the first man, Cole.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> West Ham make their final change. Off goes Noble and on comes Kovac.

Fahey whips in a cross for Zigic. The big striker wins the header but his effort whistles inches wide of the post.

<b>Stat:</b> Ridgewell's goal puts him on four this season in all competitions, one less than Birmingham's top scorer Gardner.

Beausejour takes on Faubert. Or at least he tries to and fails. Faubert has had a good game.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Larsson goes off for Blues and on comes 6'8" striker Zigic.

Carr plays a one-two down the flank. Green palms away the defender's cross-shot at the near post.

When Larsson's freekick eventually comes it sails over everybody. It wasn't worth the wait.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Before the freekick Blues make a change. Beausejour comes on and Hleb, rather surprisingly, goes off.

Upson chops down Carr and Birmingham get a freekick and a chance to work a set piece...

Ferguson overcooks it on the edge of the box and West Ham can get the ball away.

Blues camp out in West Ham's half again. But Fahey and then Hleb can find no way through.

Foster kept Blues in the match in the first half and now he may have cost his side the game.

<img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> Cole scuffs his shot but it trickles through the legs of Foster. What a mistake by the keeper.

Parker with a great pass sets up an attack. Spector cuts it back for Cole...

Hines uses his pace to get to the byline and wins a corner for West Ham. Parker's corner is as bad as Reid's eventual shot.

Larsson crosses from the right. Murphy gets in front of his marker but his glanced header goes just wide.

Murphy whips in a cross and Tomkins heads over his own bar under pressure from Jerome.