Birmingham 0 Wigan 0

Birmingham and Wigan ended up having to settle for a frustrating goalless draw at St Andrew's.

Pantomime villain Charles N'Zogbia created several good chances for the visitors, while Cameron Jerome and Roger Johnson went closest for Blues in an entertaining game.

Despite last week's derby day collapse against Albion, Alex McLeish's team were given a warm welcome as they ran out onto the pitch.

The same can not be said for Wigan's erratic but multi-talented winger Charles N'Zogbia, who was roundly booed by the home fans for his lofty wage demands which scuppered a proposed move to St Andrews in the summer.

Hleb almost opened the scoring on his league debut, firing just wide from Jerome's knockdown after a great build-up move from Barry Ferguson and Sebastian Larsson.

Johnson then produced a now trademark well-timed tackle to deny Hugo Rodellega in the box, as the striker prepared to pull the trigger.

Not to be outdone, central defensive partner Scott Dann then produced a vital block to deny Rodellega's low drive just a few minutes later from N'Zogbia's cut back.

The Frenchman was receiving heavy abuse, especially going to take corner kicks, but continued to show his class on the left wing in a lively first-half.

N'Zogbia forced Carr to turn his low drive behind for a corner 13 minutes in and then forced a superb save from goalkeeper Ben Foster, who parried his fierce strike over the bar from inside the area.

Jerome then forced Ali Al-Habsi into action at the other end with a well-placed header midway through the first half, from Larsson's deep cross, but his effort was flagged offside.

The former Cardiff striker wasted an even better chance with 19 minutes left, when he could only guide Larsson's sweeping right wing cross wide from five yards out.

Johnson and Rodellega then both went into the book after the Colombian appeared to catch him with his elbow in a mid-air collision.

The former Cardiff City defender reacted angrily and Rodellega's petulant mini head-butt as Johnson continued to remonstrate with him ensured both parties were carded.

Jerome saw a third effort turned behind by Gohouri's outstretched leg, after Garden's slide rule pass had played him in on goal.

Ronnie Stam earned himself a booking with five minutes left, dragging back Gardner just inside the Blues half five minutes before the break.

Johnson saw a header whistle inches wide of the left hand post after nodding on Larsson's in-swinging free kick in stoppage time.

But there was still time for one more chance, as Jerome won a free kick right on the edge of the box after robbing Gohouri of possession, with the Wigan player booked.

Larsson's shot was parried straight into the path of Jerome, but his point-blank range toe poke rebounded off the helpless goalkeeper's legs.

Figueroa flashed a rasping drive wide of goal from long range early in the second-half, while Ridgwell also missed the target with a close-range header from Larsson's free-kick.

Foster then did well to hold N'Zogbia's low drive, as Wigan broke quickly just before the hour.

Stam was then replaced by Franco Di Santo for Wigan while Blues swapped Lee Bowyer and Alexander Hleb forNikola Zigic and Jean Beausejour, as McLeish added a second striker to partner Jerome.

Beausejour settled quickly and created a great chance for Zigic with 20 minutes remaining. The giant striker failed to make contact with his well-timed left-wing cross, but replays suggested it was reachable.

Jerome went one-on-one with Al Habsi after Larsson had played him in on goal but the goalkeeper raced out to block the shot and bundle the striker over, albeit legally.

Dann was carded for unsporting behaviour midway through the half and McLeish made his third substitution soon after, as Jerome was replaced by Kevin Phillips.

The change drew huge applause from the home fans and signalled McLeish's attacking intent late on.

Dann conceded a dangerous free-kick with nine minutes remaining, after a raking challenge on Rodellega.

Ben Watson replaced Diame during the lull before N'Zogbia blasted the ball well over from 25 yards out.

Foster again showed good hands to hold Rodellega's turning shot from the edge of the clock ran down.

With two minutes left, referee Mark Clattenburg bizarrely dismissed Gardner for his tackle on Di Santo, in which the Blues midfielder clearly won the ball.

It seemed a perfectly fair tackle, causing huge unrest among the home fans, but Di Santo was duly substituted for Victor Moses after being injured in the challenge.

Fortunately for Clattenburg, the controversial decision did little to influence the final result though.

Watson forced a good save from Foster with a curling effort from the free-kick in the last meaningful kick of an entertaining game.