Welcome to live text commentary of Stoke City versus Birmingham City from the Britannia Stadium.

Beausejour to Ridgewell. And the duo clear their lines. Faye launches it forward. It falls Whitehead from Fuller's flick. Whitehead shoots but Johnson blocks for the throw. Delap to take. Foster punches clear.

But he's up and about again. But does go off as Larsson takes the Birmingham throw given back to Stoke as Faye put it out.

Zigic goes down after Whitehead's challenge.

Etherington wide on the left. Poor cross and Ferguson finds Gardner. Zigic to Beausejour on the left. Ridgewell then looks to Zigic on the far post. That seems to be the plan. It's out for a goal kick.

Carr has space on the right. Into Larsson, Ridgewell. But his cross-field ball drifts out on the far side. /// bobby says 'Yahoo really pulling out all the stops again; how many­ Huth's are playing in this game then? You really­ are very poor.' Only the one bobby, only the one. Deep breath.

Jerome fires high, wide and not very handsome from 20 yards on the angle from Zigic's clever touch.

Delap has a throw from the left now...Ferguson clears. Delap time again. Level with the goal area. Foster palms at it and Dann clears.

Carr gets down the right and Collins puts it out for a throw. Higginbottom goes to clear and Zigic catches him. Nothing doing. Quite right.

Etherington's cross from the left drifts out for a goal kick. Disappointing.

It's all Stoke. I can hear Tony Pulis urging them forward.

CHANCE FOR BIRMINGHAM!! Gardner charges forward and shoots from 20 yards which forces Begovic to watch it down to his right.

Delap's long throw is repelled. Foster finds Zigic on halfway. Larsson to Beausejour. Back to Ridgewell, Dann, Johnson. Given away. Pennant into Jones. Birmingham break...

Delap charges forward. Finds Fuller inside the box and Johnson clears. Meanwhile Pennant has a problem with his right knee.

Zigic to Larsson and left to Beausejour. Stoke win it back. Pennant comes forward. Left to Collins. His cross is cleared by Johnson. Higginbottom into the box. Jones down for Fuller. He lashes one from 18 yards but it's blocked!!

Fuller runs at the Brimingham defence but Ferguson comes back to clear. Foster puts it out and Delap has his first throw of the night. It's cleared for another. And everyone misses it at the far post and it's out for a goal kick.

Etherington on the left. Comes inside. Wide right to Pennant. His cross is fumbled by Foster under pressure from Huth but the big German can't take advantage.

Stoke on top. Birmingham aren't able to get out of their half.

Pennant takes. Johnson clears. Higginbottom floats in a cross and Dann gets in the way.

Etherington takes. Cleared. Penannt flicks the ball back in and Higginbottom chases it. Foster comes out and cleans him up. Fuller's shot is blocked wide. Good work from Foster. Higginbottom takes a knock but wins a corner.

Pennant's going to be a busy boy tonight. Dann handballs. Free-kick from Etherington on the right. Dann clears. Back with Faye on halfway. Wide to Etherington on the right. His weak cross is deflected behind for a corner.

That was a chance for Stoke. A good chance. Whitehead brings Stoke clear. Wide to Pennant and Foster makes a good, clean catch.