Birmingham 1 West Ham 1

A David Murphy header nine minutes from time was enough to rescue a point for Birmingham against high-flying West Ham at St Andrew's.

The defender's close range strike also preserved Blues' undefeated home record in the league, which stretches to ten games.

It had looked an unlikely result after Carlton Cole put the visitors ahead less than four minutes in.

The result brings Blues within six points of the playoff places with two games in hand, while West Ham go back up to second in the league, on goal difference over Middlesbrough.

Blues boss Chris Hughton made three changes from last Monday's defeat away at Crystal Palace, reverting to the usual 4-4-2 formation instead of the 4-5-1 employed at Selhurst Park.

Pablo Ibanez was recalled to the back four, due to centre back Curtis Davies' suspension, while Stephen Carr's absence saw Jonathan Spector slot in at right back, from his usual central midfield position.

Jean Beausejour was recalled to the starting line up at left wing while Chris Wood joined Marlon King up front, at the expense of winger Nathan Redmond.

One familiar face on the Hammers' bench was former Aston Villa striker John Carew, although manager Sam Allardyce opted for Cole and Frederic Piquionne as his front pairing.

Blues started the game having lost three of the last four in the league, but defending their proud home record.

The Hammers, however, brought the league's best away record to St Andrew's and it was the visitors who drew first blood, when Cole slotted home early in the first-half.

The striker pounced after an error by Ibanez and coolly finished past goalkeeper Boaz Myhill, to momentarily silence a relatively sparse home crowd of just over 20,000.

Julien Faubert should have made it 2-0 with less than 20 minutes on the clock, but just failed to get the vital touch as the ball was flashed in low across the box.

Murphy then denied the Frenchman on the six yard line and pulled the trigger from Piquionne's pass.

At the other end, the defender almost levelled the score with 28 minutes gone from a well-placed free kick, which goalkeeper Robert Green did well to turn behind.

Green also denied Keith Fahey from distance 13 minutes before the break, while at the other end Myhill superbly saved Cole's shot on the turn in the final minute of the first half.

Early in the second-half, Chris Burke saw a fine effort blocked by Green and Piquionne was denied by a last ditch tackle from Steven Caldwell in the space of one minute.

Hughton replaced Wood with Zigic with 33 minutes remaining, as Blues began to apply some concerted pressure for the first time and Ibanez nodded just over two minutes later.

Piquionne was then replaced by on-loan Arsenal starlet Henri Lansbury, as Allardyce tried to liven up his subdued side.

The substitute could have wrapped the game up eight minutes later only to see his shot saved by Green.

At the other end, Zigic headed just over from a very good position, from Murphy's left wing cross.

Fans' favourite Redmond was introduced with 20 minutes left at Beausejour's expense, while West Ham swapped Cole for Carew two minutes later.

Blues finally got the breakthrough they needed with nine minutes left, when Murphy headed home from close range after Chris Burke's corner caused havoc in the box.

The defender notched his first league goal of the season from Caldwell's headed pass to earn Blues a share of the spoils.