Bees suffer penalty heartache

Birmingham are through to the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup after overcoming Brentford 4-3 on penalties.

Blues goalkeeper Maik Taylor made the decisive save to deny Bees defender Craig Woodman from the spot.

The Bees looked to have followed up their victory over Everton by triumphing at St Andrew's through Sam Wood's 15-yard drive midway through the second half. But striker Kevin Phillips broke the League One side's hearts in the 92nd minute with the equalising goal.

Bees skipper Richard Lee kept his side on level terms with a fine reflex save after 25 minutes. He blocked a powerful drive from Stuart Parnaby at close range after he had got on the end of a cross from Garry O'Connor.

But Brentford retaliated almost immediately and Taylor had to be alert to turn Myles Weston's left-footed effort around the post after he had outpaced Scott Dann.

After 69 minutes Sam Wood gave Brentford a shock lead. A mistake by Stephen Carr allowed Weston the opportunity to cross and the ball was headed back by Charlie MacDonald to Wood, who made no mistake with his 15-yard drive.

Lee kept the Bees ahead by making a finger-tip save to turn aside Craig Gardner's curling effort from the edge of the box.

But the woodwork rescued Blues when Woodman's drive hit the top of the bar. Then, in injury-time, Phillips rescued Birmingham from close range after being teed up by Liam Ridgewell.

Birmingham tried to take advantage of their reprieve in extra-time and Lee made a fine save to keep out Zigic's header from Bowyer's centre.

The game went to penalties and Phillips, Gardner, Scott Dann and Carr scored from the spot for the home side, with Bowyer shooting over the bar. Kevin O'Connor, David Hunt and Lewis Grabban netted for the Bees but Spillane hit the bar, before Taylor denied Woodman.