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Sky Bet Championship: Blackburn boss Gary Bowyer praised midfielder Ben Marshall after win over Birmingham

Gary Bowyer of Blackburn Rovers looks on during the Sky Bet Championship match between Norwich City and Blackburn Rovers at Carrow Road
Image: Gary Bowyer: Pleased by performance of Ben Marshall

Blackburn manager Gary Bowyer praised the 'fantastic ability' of Ben Marshall after his strike was enough to earn a 1-0 win over Birmingham City.

Marshall made the decisive breakthrough after 51 minutes when he cut in from the left and hammered a shot in off the left-hand post for his fifth goal of the season and second in consecutive games.

The margin of victory ought to have been bigger against 10-man Birmingham, who had Neal Eardley sent off on the hour, but Bowyer was happy to record a win after four without and was quick to pay tribute to his match winner.

He said: "It was an excellent goal. He's in fantastic form and it was a great finish from him.

"He's got five goals this season already, has got fantastic ability. He can go inside you, outside you, can go on his left, cut in and smash it with his right like he did tonight and there's more to come from him. He's got to keep working hard and get better.''

Rovers created numerous chances in the second half, with Colin Doyle producing fine saves to deny Marshall, Tom Cairney - who also struck the post - and Marcus Olsson.

And Bowyer challenged his side to be more ruthless as Andrew Shinnie's injury-time strike rattled the crossbar and almost snatched the win from the hosts.

"I didn't think we started the game particularly well. We had a lot of possession but it was all in front so we had to get amongst them at half-time and we played at our tempo, at the standard we expect and demand,'' Bowyer said.

"We created so many chances, we just have to sharpen up in front of goal and be a bit more ruthless.

"We knew that Birmingham would get an opportunity. Fortunately for us it hit the bar but I think it would have been an injustice with the amount of chances we created tonight.

"We've got to be more clinical in front of goal. Whilst we're still creating, I'll be pleased with that.''

Birmingham's chief scout Malcolm Crosby, who along with Richard Beale took charge of the team, felt that City were unfortunate not to take a point from the game.

The visitors had the better of the game when it was goalless, with Clayton Donaldson poking wide when clean through and Paul Caddis forcing a wonderful save from Jason Steele.

And after Shinnie's shot hit the bar, Crosby said that his side just need a break and the luck will go in their favour.

"When you need a break, sometimes you're lucky and you get it, but we didn't today,'' he said.

"It (Shinnie's) was a great strike and against a very good goalkeeper, whatever we fired at them earlier in the game, he saved them and did well.

"You just need that little break and we didn't get it.

"When you get chances in games, you have to have someone there to take them. I just think it needs a couple of them to go in and somebody gets confidence from that and they go on a run. Every striker is the same.

"I just felt that possibly we were unlucky not to get a point out of the game.''

Birmingham's form is worrying, with only one league win in the last 11 games, and although Crosby admitted the permanent job would be of interest, he accepted that the only way he could make it happen is by returning Birmingham to winning ways.

He said: "Yeah I'd be interested because it's a great club with good people working in it but if I'm going to become the manager of Birmingham, I have to start winning a few games.''

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