Alex McLeish salutes penalty heroes

Relieved Birmingham manager Alex McLeish has paid tribute to his spot-kick volunteers after his side squeezed into the last eight of the Carling Cup.

Lacklustre Blues seemed down and out when they trailed League One Brentford 1-0 deep into time added on at St Andrew's last night.

But after evergreen striker Kevin Phillips scored to take the game into extra time, Blues broke Brentford hearts with a penalty shoot-out win.

The hosts prevailed after goalkeeper Maik Taylor saved one Bees' kick and saw another come back off the crossbar.

Yet it was the penalty takers who earned the plaudits from the manager.

McLeish said: "We knew who would definitely take them, like Kevin Phillips and Craig Gardner, but from them on it was volunteers with Scott Dann, Lee Bowyer and Stephen Carr.

"They put themselves on the line."

Blues led 3-2 in the shoot-out before Brentford's Michael Spillane missed.

The home side's advantage was erased when Bowyer fired over but after the next two kicks were converted and when Craig Woodman sent his effort straight at Taylor, Blues were through.

Afterwards, McLeish revealed how goalkeeping coach Dave Watson's words of wisdom to Taylor had paid dividends when it came to spot-kicks.

The manager said: "Dave was quite clever. He said the chap at the end puts them down the middle and Maik stood his ground.

"This is why research is very important."

McLeish admitted he thought his side were on their way out as the Bees looked set to follow up the scalp of Everton in the previous round with another giant-killin,g when Sam Wood broke the deadlock in the second half.

The Blues boss said: "Brentford were superb, well organised and battled. I thought we were out of the cup.

"But I have to salute the players. Kevin did what he does best, we're in the hat and that's what counts."