After a fearful cuffing for 40-odd minutes the Tigers - with their new strike force prominent - fight back against an impressive Birmingham side and narrowly miss out on an unlikely draw.

I always want to call them Birmingham Town. Not entirely sure why, but suspect it's because there's this nagging voice at the back of my head telling me that they don't deserve to be dignified with the title "City", such has been their failure to fulfil the potential famously highlighted in the Park Drive Book of Football (the edition in which Alan Ball's ginger hair has been touched up and looks bright orange), where arch 60s and 70s pundit Tony Pullein (whose work even appeared occasionally in the City programmes) described them as "surely destined to become the leading club of Britain's second city" as well they might have seemed to be in the days when the Tigers rarely seemed to get the better of the likes of Bert Murray, Geoff Vowden, Trevor Hockey, Fred Pickering and others.

But the pendulum swings to and fro, so rumour has it, and so, our respective clubs having at one time been catapulted seemingly irrevocably in differing directions along the League ladder, we find ourselves once again at St Andrews after an absence of 12 years or so. And guess what? We never quite seemed to get the better of them.

Not only that, but, by dint of further wins for Blunderland and (more significantly) Colchester, we are now propping up the table by a margin of four points following yesterday's reverse, a situation which, whilst not exactly the unmitigated disaster that some would aver at this stage of the campaign, has certainly created the risk of putting undue pressure on the manager and players, and will definitely start to look genuinely worrying if we don't close some or all of the gap by say the end of October, given the number of games over the next two months which really ought to generate some reward.

But, at the risk of appearing to those who were not among the sizeable (1 500?) and loud City support today to be performing the old straw-clutching act, there were some very positive signs today - more, in fact, than we've seen in any 90-minute spell since the first game of the season. After going behind against the run of play to a rather soft goal, we spent the second quarter and the early part of the second half very much under the cosh, and duly conceded a second which, as well executed as it was, was equally soft on account of the total absence of any marking at the set-piece, but after that showed real character to stand up and trade punches with the Blues for the final 40 minutes or so, pull one back in some style, and go agonisingly close more than once to an equaliser which, even if it might not quite have been deserved on the balance of play, would have been just reward for a battling performance. In many ways, the performance and end result left the same sort of taste in the mouth as did the West Brom game.

And then there's Michael Bridges. On yesterday's showing, this man has style and elegance (qualities that one does not immediately associate with Hull City players in general), the Brum defenders never really had the measure of him, and if he gets the right service (a big if, as there wasn't a lot of creativity from the re-jigged midfield which included the welcome return of Ash) he will not only score goals himself but make them for others.

If we build on yesterday, we should have enough in the tank not to have to worry about a relegation battle. But we've had one false start this season and can't afford another. Now that Ash is back, Parky needs to decide upon a midfield formation (which ideally does not involve playing players out of position such as Marney out left; to be honest if he had no-one else to play there Elliott would have done no worse and is a better finisher), stick to it, and get them providing service to the front men who, it genuinely looked today, will score and create goals if properly supported.

Defensively, the two Birmingham goals should have been prevented, but otherwise it was generally solid, with Turner looking more comfortable than he's looked all season. Sure, Myhill had saves to make, especially when things took an adventurous turn in the second half and gaps were left, but that's always going to be the case with the calibre of player that Steve Bruce has at his disposal.

On a fine September day which felt very warm when you got into the sun, especially on the trek back along Digbeth into town after the game (and, for that matter, during the trudge around three sides of the ground before the game trying to find a way in to the away end) the starting formation had a very different look about it from the last game:-

Myhill
Ricketts Collins Turner Dawson
Fagan Ashbee Livermore Marney
Forster Bridges

For the first 17 minutes, we gave pretty much as good as we got. We had, and kept, a the lion's share of the leather in the early minutes, but the Brum rearguard looked solid and uncompromising. On 7 though, we go close twice and probably (well actually, no, there's no "probably" about it), ought to have gone in front. First Bridges just ghosted his way through the cover, as he did several times during the game, and hit a low effort which Taylor in the home goal was happy to push behind for a corner. A short flag kick saw the ball played back to Dawson, who crossed invitingly hard and low across the face of the goal...and there was a City player unmarked on the edge of the goal area. Sadly, this gilt-edged chance fell to the least match-fit player in amber and black, and Ash (for it is he) snatched at the ball and pulled it wide of the near post to the palpable relief of the home crowd.

The home side come back, and the dangerous Campbell (why does the pretentious little sod use his initials instead of his name; doesn't he know that only cricketers are supposed to do that sort of thing?) is put into space courtesy of a slightly lucky bounce, but a great block by one of ours (Turner?) prevents anything from coming of it. We're not just here to make the numbers up, though, and, satisfyingly, the home crowd, frustrated already by City's robust approach to the game, start to vent that frustration.

But how often is that the cue for City to concede? Sure enough, a ball down their left is not properly dealt with, and McSheffrey - who is dangerous enough at the best of times without being allowed the amount of space he was on this occasion - gets in a low cross. Central defence is slow to react to this and to the inrushing Campbell, who prods the ball unchallenged inside the near post before any City defender seemed to have realised what was going on. We can only speculate on whether this strike had Karren Brady bouncing up and down in her seat with David Sullivan attempting a sneaky peek down her cleavage.

Back on the field, that reverse signals a period of home domination that lasts pretty much for the rest of the half, although it's domination mainly of possession of the leather as opposed to the peppering-the-City-goal-relentlessly-from-all-angles variant. We dither over a cross and put ourselves under pressure in the process on 25, and four minutes after that the impressive loanee Bendtner (when did you last see such a big man display such sheer grace at this level?) cuts in and fires one just over from just outside the box, although Myhill's lack of response to this effort suggests that it was always looking off target from his vantage point (or that he misjudged it badly). Then on 32 Mc Sheffrey wastefully fires a free kick 25 yards out straight into the City wall.

We aren't exactly helping ourselves during this spell, giving too many free-kicks away and opting to hoof clear far too often instead of trying to build a counter-attack, with the left side combination of Marney (the next boo-boy target if he's not careful, although constantly having to manoeuvre to get the ball onto his right foot can't have made things easy for him) and Dawson looking especially unlikely to pose any serious threat for the home defence. Eventually, though, Marney does latch onto a throw and forces Taylor into a save, and five minutes from the break Bridges goes on one of what will hopefully prove to be one of his trademark runs, creating space for himself and firing over from 18 yards when he might have been expected to find the target. This was a reasonably decent spell from us which, with a home defence which it looked as though we were well capable of breaching, gave rise to general assent among the Tiger Nation at the break that all was far from lost.

That view, albeit reasonably held at the time, had to be revised however some seven minutes into the second period. After Turner, who enjoyed his most assured outing in the stripes to date, had challenged well to deny one of theirs a scoring opportunity, the resultant corner was headed in at the near post by Bendtner. Disappointing, because we had started the half in an encouraging fashion. Disappointing, because the Dane had a completely free header from near the corner of the six-yard box: absolutely bloody criminal defending for a pub team, never mind in a Division 2 game. Disappointing because we had now seemingly denied ourselves a way back into the game which had been very much there at half-time, and had possibly even set ourselves up for a real paggering if heads went down and the Blues went for it.

For a while, it looked as though our worst fears would come to pass, as we looked awfully ragged in all parts of the field, and when we did manage a foray into the Brum half and won a free-kick from what ought to have been a dangerous position on the right, Marney wastefully blootered it high and wide, a feat he was to repeat from almost the same spot later in the game as if to show that the first was no fluke (and no, Dean, standing hands on hips with your head bowed does not atone for it). But we get it together and start to pose the opposition real problems. Just after the hour another fine piece of work by Bridges set up Marney, who hit the side netting from what was in truth a half-chance as the angle was quite acute.

After another scare which culminates in Boaz making a fine save from another angled attempt (not sure who from), Fagan almost forces the ball home after slack work from Taylor presents him with the opportunity. But with now less than twenty to go we finally get back into the game. Fagan linked well with - who else - Bridges, and the ex-Carl squares the ball into the path of Livermore (who seemed a bit more adventurous generally yesterday), who confidently despatches the leather low past the diving Taylor's right hand in front of the delighted City support. Looking back, what was memorable about this goal was the apparent effortlessness of the way in which the cover was sliced open and the chance taken, against as tough opposition as you'll get in this League to boot; there is real class in this team, you know; they just need to display it more consistently.

Now, Blues boss Steve Bruce once admitted on television to pooing himself during a game while playing for Gillingham (seriously, this is true), and it would be nice to think that he came close to a repeat of that particular adventure during the last quarter of an hour yesterday. For while the home team looked menacing on the break, not least when a delightful chip over the top on 83 found Campbell, who was denied only by Myhill's outstretched leg, it was City who were providing the dash and sparkle and creating the chances. While it was Bridges who caught the eye more over the 90 mins, the other attacking debutant Forster played his part as well, and totally outmuscled N'Gotty a couple of minutes after the goal, the resultant lob being cleared off the line and eventually scrambled away. Then another scything run into the box from Bridges ended when he couldn't quite tee up his shot and there was no easy lay-off. Into the last ten, and France hares down the middle, lays off to Forster in the inside-right channel, the Tiger Nation rises to its feet, but the City number 9's shot cannons off the outside of the near post with Taylor beaten.

The subbing of Marney by the very much up-for-it Beast gingers things up effectively, although with a few minutes left he is somewhat harshly booked by referee Kettle. Undaunted by this though, he remains a decidedly troublesome thorn in the home side's side, and with a minute or two of normal time on the clock he is put through courtesy of a fine Fagan ball. The angle is narrow, but he picks his spot well and his low effort rifles past Taylor, only for the ball yet again to strike the near-post woodwork. How much more bad luck are we going to have here?

In the case of the Beast, quite a bit, actually. For well into the four minutes' injury time, he goes up for a challenge deep in the Brum half with Jaidi, who clatters to the ground poleaxed, and the referee has no hesitation in reaching for the yellow card again, followed swiftly by the red. "You're not fit to referee" thunders the City support, although some said after the game that there was clear evidence of a stamp on the Birmingham number 24. But if that was the reason for the card, shouldn't it have been a straight red? If the second yellow was indeed for the aerial challenge, then it looked a very poor decision indeed.

There's only time now for one last City onslaught, when Collins (who again turned in a steady stint), nods a Dawson ball into the path of the onrushing Fagan, but it has just enough pace to allow Taylor to pouch it first, and shortly afterwards Mr Kettle decides that we've had enough entertainment for our twenty-seven quid, the defeated Tigers receiving the deserved plaudits of their supporters while the home side slink away looking not a little sheepish.

So, a great fightback in one of our toughest fixtures on paper, demonstrating that there is real strength of character in this team, which on the face of it augurs well for the rest of the season. If we maintain the levels of craft and resilience that we showed for much of the second half we ought not to stay at the foot of the table for too long, but now the need actually to go out and turn the positives into points is becoming pressing.

HULL CITY (4-4-2): Myhill; Ricketts, Turner, Collins, Dawson; Fagan, Livermore, Ashbee, Marney; Forster, Bridges.  Subs: France (for Ashbee, 73), Parkin (for Marney, 78), Welsh (for Bridges, 81), Thelwell, Duke.

Goals: Livermore 67

Booked: Fagan, Parkin

Sent Off: Parkin

BIRMINGHAM CITY: Maik Taylor, Johnson, N'Gotty, Jaidi, Gray, Larsson, Dunn, Nafti, McSheffrey, Campbell, Bendtner.  Subs: Danns (for Dunn, 68), Kilkenny (for Nafti, 81), Doyle, Forssell, Martin Taylor.

Goals: Campbell 16; Bendtner 53

Booked: Danns, Larsson

Sent Off: None

REFEREE: T Kettle

ATTENDANCE: 19,228