Blackburn 1 Birmingham 1

Lee Bowyer's controversial first-half goal earned Birmingham a useful draw against Blackburn Rovers.

Bowyer appeared to head home from an offside position from Cameron Jerome's cross after 32 minutes.

But Rovers' Junior Hoilett capitalised on confusion between Liam Ridgewell and Roger Johnson seven minutes into stoppage time to earn the home side a point.

The result at Ewood Park keeps both sides above the relegation zone.

After weeks of injury woes, Bimringham manager Alex McLeish was able to name an unchanged side from the team that beat Bolton last weekend.

Blues' bench was also bolstered by the return of Alexander Hleb, following nearly two months on the side lines due to a knee injury.

But Martin Jiranek remained absent for the second week running after undergoing a minor operation on a hole between his toes while David Bentley also remained sidelined due to a groin injury.

Joint top scorer Nikola Zigic and fellow striker Obafemi Martins were also absent after failing late fitness tests.

Rovers were also boosted by the return of former Blues' fan favourite David Dunn.

The midfielder, who scored twice in Blackburn's 2-1 win over Blues at Ewood Park last season, shook off a hip injury to make the starting line up.

And the home side could have been in front within 60 seconds when Junior Hoilett broke from midfield to slip in Jermaine Jones, who was unmarked outside the box.

But Jones slipped at the vital moment and could only usher the shot wide.

Martin Olsson went into the book less than a minute later after a late tackle on Sebastian Larsson, but Rovers continued to press and Christophe Samba nodded inches wide from a well-aimed Morten Gamst Pedersen free-kick in the fifth minute.

Roger Johnson then produced a superb tackle on the edge of the box to deny Hoilett and, despite appeals for a free-kick, replays showed referee Chris Foy was spot on in his decision to waive play on after Johnson clearly won the ball.

Against the run of play, Blues took the lead 32 minutes in, due to somewhat fortunate circumstances, through Lee Bowyer.

The midfielder nodded in from a marginally offside position virtually on the goal line from Jerome's chipped cross, after Gardner and Larsson had broken well from midfield.

The home fans were also incensed, as Gardner had appeared to push Jones in the air to win the ball in the build up.

Roque Santa Cruz could have equalised within a minute from Hoilett's well-placed right wing cross.

But, having got in front of his marker Craig Gardner, Santa Cruz could only drag his header wide.

Rovers were to suffer another blow as Ryan Nelsen then went off injured, to be replaced by former Albion striker Jason Roberts, late in the first-half.

Santa Cruz again headed just wide of the target four minutes before the break and Larsson came even closer at the other end, when his 30-yard free-kick struck Paul Robinson's right-hand post, after Dunn had brought down Gardner.

Gardner then had to clear the ball off the line in stoppage time, while Liam Ridgewell also made a vital block in stoppage time as a Pedersen long throw caused chaos in Blues' penalty area.

Johnson went down during the melee and had to receive several minutes of treatment on a head injury.

But Ridgewell undid his good work in the seventh minute of injury time when, distracted by Johnson, he allowed Hoilett to dispossess him in the final third before rounding goalkeeper Ben Foster to equalise.

Johnson was replaced by Curtis Davies at half time and Larsson then drew a fine save from home goalkeeper Paul Robinson with a 53 minute free-kick, after Jones brought down Cameron Jerome just outside the box.

Santa Cruz continued to mis-fire in the air, hitting the bar from just a few yards out, after Hoilett had floated a superb cross from deep inside the box.

Unsurprisingly, Rovers manager Steve Kean replaced the striker with Benjani Mwaruwari with 27 minute left.

Gardner then went into the book for a cynical challenge on Hoilett but Foster held Pedersen's dangerous low free kick.

Benjani then dragged a decent chance wide after spinning Ridgewell far too easily in the box.

Hoilett, who had been the game's best player, was replaced by Brett Emerton with 21 minutes left after appearing to aggravate his hamstring in the aforementioned challenge with Gardner.

Jones went into the book two minutes later for a wayward challenge on Kevin Phillips and Foster was then forced to nudge a dangerous Pedersen free-kick over the bar.

Larsson was also booked late on for bringing down Olsson 11 minutes from time, as was Carr for a wild challenge on Pedersen, under increasing pressure from the home side.

Samba then lofted a tame header over the bar from Pedersen's long throw three minutes from time.

Emerton blasted well over on the volley a minute later from Samba's knockdown just outside the box, under pressure from Stuart Parnaby.