OSMAN MAGIC DELIVERS THE PERFECT 10 FOR BLUES

CITY TOPPING MID-TABLE MINI LEAGUE

- By ALEX DICKEN

BIRMINGHAM City moved into the Championship's top-10 with a 2-1 victory over Preston North End.

Blues now lead the clutch of clubs jostling between 10th and 17th after continuing their improved form to make it seven points from a possible nine.

Jay Stansfield and Ibrahim Osman notched the goals in a devastating opening 16 minutes before Andrew Hughes gave Preston what proved to be a consolation.

The last time Blues played Preston at St Andrew's the game was decided by a goal from Stansfield and the striker only needed 10 minutes to open the scoring. Osman skinned Pol Valentin on the left side of Preston’s penalty area before lashing a low shot on target that Stansfield flicked past Daniel Iversen.

Ghanaian trickster Osman added his name to the scoresheet in the 16th minute. A Blues corner was cleared to Osman on the left wing and he bamboozled Jordan Thompson before fizzing a shot into the far corner of Preston's goal.

Preston found a route back into the contest via a set piece goal that James Beadle won't want to watch back.

Alfie Devine whipped a left-wing corner in and Beadle was under some pressure on his goal-line, but the goalkeeper should have got more on the ball. All he did was brush the ball onto the chest of Andrew Hughes and the Preston defender nudged it over the goal-line.

The goal coupled with a head injury to Osman knocked Blues out their stride for the remainder of the first half. Osman initially played on after a clash of heads before being forced off.

They did come close to the game's fourth goal shortly before halftime when Stansfield slipped in behind and found August Priske with an intelligent cutback. Priske was denied his first Blues goal by a good block from Liam Lindsay.