Jiri Jarosik scored the decisive goal as Birmingham City moved out of the bottom three of the Premiership for the first time since October with a 1-0 win over Bolton Wanderers which bolstered ther survival hopes and dented their opponents' European dreams.
Jarosik let fly from 25 yards eight minutes before half-time at St Andrews here Tuesday as Birmingham moved a point above Midlands rivals West Brom and fellow relegation candidates Portsmouth, although Pompey have a game in hand.
For Steve Bruce's team the win meant a return of four points from two matches after their battling goalless draw against leaders Chelsea where Jarosik, on-loan from Stamford Bridge, was ineligible.
By contrast Wanderers' third straight league defeat left them in seventh place, their prospects of Champions League football fading fast.
Birmingham, in a scrappy opening, were forced into two early substitutions when Stephen Clemence was replaced by Stan Lazaridis and Nicky Butt made way for Mikael Forssell.
Bolton, typically winning plenty of aerial challenges, saw Kevin Davies head over from eight yards before Stelios Giannakopoulos glanced wide.
But Czech midfielder Jarosik then produced a rare moment of quality. The 28-year-old beat Jay-Jay Okocha and then let fly with a rising long-range effort which went past diving Wanderers keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Kevin Nolan could have levelled before the break but the in-form midfielder saw his side-foot shot saved by Blues keeper Maik Taylor.
Chances were few and far between in the second-half although Greece international Stelios had another opportunity to draw the visitors level only for his snapshot from six yards to go wide of the far post.
