Caddis double downs Tykes
Full-back Paul Caddis bagged a first-half brace as Birmingham won 3-0 at fellow Sky Bet Championship strugglers Barnsley.
The former Scotland Under-21s international lashed his side ahead early on before adding a penalty - his first goals for Blues. Nikola Zigic produced an emphatic chip to seal the points for Lee Clark's team before half-time.
The result moves Birmingham six points clear of the relegation zone, while leaving Barnsley languishing at the bottom of the table, six points from safety.
Birmingham broke the deadlock in the 13th minute with the game's first attempt on goal.
Tykes defender Jean-Yves M'Voto did well to take the ball off City striker Jesse Lingard before giving the ball away to Caddis and the right-back shrugged off challenges from David Perkins and Paddy McCourt to rifle into the bottom right-hand corner from 25 yards.
The former Swindon defender did not have to wait long to claim his second with a controversial penalty in the 22nd minute.
Giant Serbian striker Zigic looked to tumble easily under a challenge from M'Voto following a Blues corner and, after referee Kevin Wright pointed to the spot, Caddis stepped up to find the bottom-right corner, sending former City goalkeeper Jack Butland the wrong way.
Ex-Valencia man Zigic then put the result beyond doubt eight minutes before half-time, following an error by Tykes midfielder Jim O'Brien.
A corner deep in Birmingham territory was cleared for Caddis to race away and the defender's misplaced pass was diverted into the path of Zigic by O'Brien for the 33-year-old to dink a right-footed finish over the advancing Butland.
Barnsley failed to create any clear-cut chances in the opening half and Norway international Markus Pedersen's flicked header two minutes before the break, which flashed across goal, was as close as they came.
Lee Novak, looking to add to his side's comprehensive lead, forced a decent stop from goalkeeper Butland 10 minutes after the restart with a stinging shot from close range.
Barnsley's half-time substitute Tomasz Cywka was then denied when his low free-kick was turned behind by Blues keeper Darren Randolph as Barnsley went in search of a way back into the game.
Polish midfielder Cywka thought he had reduced the deficit in the 64th minute but he was denied by the offside flag after diverting home Tom Kennedy's low drive.
Birmingham threatened to add a fourth when on-loan striker Lingard drove over in the 74th minute and they were rarely tested again as they comfortably saw the game out.
Source: PA
Source: PA