McLeish wary of Forest trip

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish is calling for a response from his side to falling off the pace in the Championship race.

Monday night's home defeat to Coventry saw them remain four points behind pace setters Wolves at the top, with McLeish needing to boost his troops ahead of tomorrow's potential banana skin at the City Ground.

Forest have recently climbed off the bottom of the Championship after showing some form and it will be Colin Calderwood who could argue he has momentum going into the clash.

McLeish said: "It has been four points out of six for Forest, so I'd imagine there will be a spring in their step in training. Previous to that they were probably tearing their hair out, wondering what they have to do to get a result.

"I know how quickly it can change in football. We now have our backs to the wall after a couple of defeats, people are looking at us closely, scrutinising us and now it's a test of character for myself and our players.

"I've been in this position before, I've handled it before, we've come out of it stronger and I believe we can do the same again."

At least McLeish has been handed some good news off the field on the injury front, although it won't affect the match.

He said: "Garry O'Connor went out with a groin injury that we thought might be quite serious but there's better news ahead for him. We don't think he'll be out as long – he doesn't need an operation.

"Both Stephen Kelly and Stuart Parnaby are back on the fitness trail, two or three weeks maybe for those two. Damien Johnson I believe is also going to join the first team squad for training, which is excellent news also."

O'Connor was injured in the warm-up before the defeat at QPR last month, having been in excellent form in the preceding few games.

With Nicky Hunt having arrived on loan from Bolton, David Murphy fit again, with Kelly and Parnaby close to comebacks, McLeish could soon have five players competing for the two full-back positions.

The gamer will also see the return to action for the calamity linesman who awarded the Reading ghost goal at Watford. Nigel Bannister makes his comeback at the City Ground.

Bannister served a six-week lay-off as 'punishment' for the Vicarage Road cock-up but will now run the line again.