Championship: Birmingham City 3 Middlesbrough 2

Birmingham City came from behind twice to beat promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough 3-2 in Championship action at St Andrews on Friday.

Middlesbrough had taken a 14th-minute lead courtesy of captain Grant Leadbitter before Marlon King restored parity from the penalty spot on the stroke of half time.

Australian striker Scott McDonald put the visitors back in front on the hour mark but Birmingham responded almost immediately through Wade Elliot.

And King completed the comeback in the final nine minutes as Boro missed the chance to move level at the top of the table.

Lee Clark’s side created the first real opportunity of the match but giant Serbian striker Nikola Zigic sent his headed effort wide of the post.

The visitors, who easily accounted for Huddersfield Town in mid-week, were the ones to break the deadlock inside the opening 15 minutes.

Andy Halliday whipped in a teasing cross from the left wing and Leadbitter stepped up to head home his first goal of the season.

Boro had two chances to extend their lead but in-demand goalkeeper Jack Butland denied Emmanuel Ledesma on two occasions.

Butland’s efforts seemed to spur his team-mates into action and they soon found themselves level moments before the break.

Andre Bikey brought down King and the former Boro loanee converted the resulting spot-kick.

Tony Mowbray’s men emerged from the tunnel full of energy and restored their advantage in the 62nd minute.

McDonald pounced on some slack defending to net his third goal in two games.

However, the visiting side were pegged back within four minutes as Wade unleashed a volley from 25-yards out, much to the delight of the home supporters.

Birmingham were playing with an extra spring in their step and King scored the all-important winner in the 81st minute, ending City’s four-game winless streak and condemning the visitors to their third loss in four matches.