Blues hit by bullet admits McLeish

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish has admitted his side were hit by a "bullet to the heart" after Bobby Zamora's late sucker punch at Fulham.

The England hopeful struck a last gasp winner as Blues went down 2-1 at Craven Cottage yesterday, despite taking the lead through Chris Baird's early own goal.

McLeish reckons his players were crestfallen, but refused to be downbeat after their achievements this season.

He said: "Losing any game in the last minute feels like a bullet to the heart but this group of players can feel extremely proud of what they have achieved. To be on 37 points in February puts us well ahead of schedule.

"We came mightily close to adding to that tally and if we had done I don't think Fulham could have complained, because they knew they were in a game.

"These players have proven on more than one occasion they are capable of bouncing back."

Fulham equalised when Damien Duff smashed in from 20-yards, but Blues almost regained the lead when Mark Schwarzer turned James McFadden's second-half effort onto the bar.

McLeish said: "Had James' effort gone in I think we would have held on to the lead and gone on to win, but we didn't so we'll never know.

"Goalkeepers can win matches for their side and Schwarzer did exactly that when he tipped the ball onto the bar."

But McLeish refused to blame Stephen Carr for conceding the last minute free kick for Zamora to net the winner.

He said: "I'm disappointed we conceded a free kick that late in the game on the edge of the box. Stevie Carr is devastated in the dressing room, but he doesn't make many mistakes in a season and I'm sure he'll bounce back."

The Blues boss will also assess midfielder Barry Ferguson, who limped off in the last minute, over the next 48 hours.