Forssell double as Blues thrash Leeds 4-1

Mikael Forssell and Bryan Hughes both scored twice as Birmingham City beat Leeds United 4-1 at St Andrew's on 27 March to climb back into sixth place in the Premiership.

The win keeps Blues in the race for a place in Europe next season, a remarkable prospect for a club that was in the second tier of English football less than two years ago.

Hughes and Forssell on target

Hughes opened the scoring after 12 minutes and added a second midway through the second half. Forssell then struck twice in the closing stages, the second from the penalty spot, to take his tally for the season into the teens.

The Finnish striker, on loan from Chelsea, has become a hero at St Andrew's. His goals have been a big reason for Blues' success this season, and supporters are desperate for him to stay beyond the end of his loan.

A season to remember

Blues have been one of the surprise packages of the season. They made their best ever start to a league season last autumn, going unbeaten through August and September and sitting fourth in the table in November.

They have maintained their form through the winter, and recently put together an eight-match unbeaten run. That ended with a 1-0 home defeat to Leicester City earlier this month, and Blues also lost a remarkable game 5-3 at Middlesbrough last weekend, played in a howling gale.

But the win over Leeds shows that Steve Bruce's side have the character to bounce back. With only a handful of games left, a place in the top six and a UEFA Cup spot are within reach.

Leeds in trouble

For Leeds, the defeat is another blow in a desperate season. The Yorkshire club reached the semi-finals of the Champions League just three years ago, but have since fallen into deep financial trouble and are fighting to avoid relegation.

Many of their best players have been sold to pay off debts, and the club has been through several managers and owners in the last two years. Their former manager, David O'Leary, is now in charge at Aston Villa.

Bruce's achievement

Bruce has built a team that is hard to beat, well organised and full of spirit. He has brought in experienced players such as Robbie Savage, Christophe Dugarry and Stan Lazaridis, alongside younger talent such as Matthew Upson.

St Andrew's has been packed for most home games this season, and in November the ground's record all-seater crowd of more than 29,500 watched the game against Arsenal.

The club's owners, David Gold and David Sullivan, have spoken about their ambitions to build a new stadium and establish Blues as one of the leading clubs in the country.

For now, fans are enjoying the ride. Blues have not played in European competition since the Fairs Cup of the 1960s, and qualifying would be one of the greatest achievements in the club's history.