Settled Zigic scales heights

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish is delighted to see Nikola Zigic justifying his faith and silencing his critics.
The Serbian striker arrived at St Andrews over the summer in a £6million deal, penning a lucrative contract in the process.
Such a sizeable outlay from the Blues put Zigic under immediate pressure to perform, with an instant return demanded by expectant supporters.
Unfortunately for the towering frontman he endured something of a slow start to his career in England, with goals and eye-catching performances thin on the ground.
He has, however, improved steadily as the weeks have passed and is now looking more like a multi-million pound forward.
Zigic bagged Birmingham's winner in their Carling Cup quarter-final victory over local rivals Aston Villa last week and stepped off the bench to lay on Craig Gardner's equaliser in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Tottenham.
McLeish insists he never doubted that the 30-year-old would come good and is pleased to see his patience paying off.
"There's no doubt we judge people too early," said the Scot.
"If you don't do it in the first couple of games then that's it, you're a dud and a terrible buy.
"But we've given him time because it's a different style of play for him and he has found it difficult to adjust.
"This (against Spurs) was as good as I've seen him."
Barclays Prem To Stay Up 10/11 Win Outright: Birmingham 1/8
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Larsson - Ball in Blues' court

Sebastian Larsson says the ball is in Birmingham City's court regarding a new contract, but insists he is happy playing in the Premier League.
The Swedish midfielder is out of contract at the end of the season and Blues boss Alex McLeish is determined to keep Larsson at St Andrews.
Larsson has spent four years with Birmingham, but has yet to make a decision on his future amid reports he is being tracked by several clubs.
The former Arsenal youngster is not closing the door on signing an extension in the Midlands, but suggested the next move is down to Birmingham.
"There is no new contract signed," said Larsson in the Swedish media. "The ball is with the club.
"I don't close any doors, but I am happy in England, both socially and football wise.
"The league suits me."
Larsson was a key figure in Birmingham reaching the semi-finals of the Carling Cup on Wednesday night as he opened the scoring from the penalty spot in a 2-1 win over local rivals Aston Villa.
He added: "The cup is always important, especially when you go far
"We were fighting for a place in the semi-final against our arch-rivals. It can't be much bigger than that."
Birmingham v Tottenham 1st Goalscorer: Zigic, N. 8/1
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McLeish happy for Zigic

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish hopes Nikola Zigic will win over his doubters after his winning goal against Aston Villa.
Zigic has struggled to win over the Blues fans with his performances since making the £6 million summer switch from Valencia to St Andrews.
However, he earned himself hero status with the winner in their Carling quarter-final clash with bitter rivals Aston Villa and McLeish has admitted it has taken Zigic time to adapt to English football.
"Listen, Ziggy is 29, he is an experienced player, he is a Serbian so he is a proud man," said McLeish.
"He has come over to the Premier League and he wants to make an impression.
"He has tried to adjust to the English game.
"He is used to playing the European game where there is a build-up and there are probably only four or five headers in an entire game.
"In England it's crash, bang, wallop and he has got to compete for everything.
"It's been a bit of a culture shock to him. I was ready to take him off when he scored.
"It was great that he scored and hopefully he wins a few friends with that goal."
Blues defender Liam Ridgewell was delighted to see Zigic grab the headlines with his winning goal.
"It was great for Ziggy, fantastic for him to get the goal," said Ridgewell.
"Hopefully it will give him a lot of confidence to go on throughout the season."
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Prem duo eye Blues star

Birmingham defender Scott Dann is a target for Premier League rivals Liverpool and Tottenham.
Dann has been earning rave reviews for Birmingham this season and has been tipped for an England call-up after a number of eye-catching performances at the heart of the Blues' backline.
A number of clubs are thought to be tracking the former England Under 21 international, who will get another chance to impress in Wednesday's Carling Cup clash with Aston Villa.
Liverpool are believed to be ready to step up their interest in the 23-year-old in the wake of the injury to Jamie Carragher.
The versatile defender has been ruled out of action for three months with a dislocated shoulder and Liverpool-born Dann is thought to be on Roy Hodgson's wanted list in the January transfer window to cover for Carragher's absence.
Spurs are also keeping a watching brief on Dann's situation at St Andrews with Harry Redknapp keen to bolster his defensive options due to the ongoing long-term fitness concerns over Ledley King.
Birmingham are determined to keep hold of Dann with the player establishing himself as a key member of Alex McLeish's squad since his arrival from Coventry in the summer of 2009.
Dann admits he is flattered to be linked with a move to the likes of Liverpool and Spurs, but he is keeping his focus on his football.
"Obviously the speculation linking me with some top clubs in the Premier League is flattering," Dann told skysports.com.
"Ultimately it is my ambition to play at the highest level with a major club like it is for any player, but for the time being I am happy playing at Birmingham and I am focused on doing my best for the club."
Birmingham v Aston Villa 1st Goalscorer: Dann, S. 33/1
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Chelsea eye Blues chief

Chelsea are lining up a swoop for Birmingham's head of recruitment Paul Montgomery, skysports.com understands.
Montgomery has emerged as one of the most highly-rated recruiters in English football and he was a key appointment by manager Alex McLeish in 2008.
He has good contacts in England and abroad, which has been demonstrated in recent months with the likes of Alex Hleb and Nikola Zigic being lured to St Andrews.
Montgomery's hold on the domestic market is also very good, with lower league signings such as Scott Dann and Roger Johnson now shinning with Birmingham.
Chelsea are looking for a replacement for Frank Arnesen, who has confirmed he will be leaving at the end of the season.
Former Barcelona technical secretary Txiki Beguiristain is thought to be one name on their list, but now Montgomery has also emerged as a candidate.
And even if Chelsea opted for Beguiristain or another foreign chief to replace Arnesen, Montgomery could still be wanted by Stamford Bridge bosses to enhance their scouting resources.
A former European scout with West Ham and Rangers, Montgomery is also highly respected on the continent and was previously offered a position with Barcelona.
Barclays Prem Winner 10/11 Win Outright: Chelsea 6/4
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McLeish warning for Hleb

Alex McLeish feels Alexander Hleb has been 'embarrassed' at times during a difficult season at Birmingham.
The Belarusian playmaker arrived at St Andrews on a season-long loan over the summer boasting a sizeable reputation shaped at Arsenal, Stuttgart and Barcelona.
Much was expected of him, with his return to England seen as a quite a coup for the Blues.
He has struggled to produce his best, though, with a lack of match sharpness and Birmingham's tactical approach holding him back.
McLeish admits that Hleb has been given a rude awakening in the Midlands, with his omission from the starting line-up for the Blues' shock win over Chelsea proving that he is not untouchable.
He responded with arguably his best showing for the club in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Fulham and has been informed that he must maintain those standards if he is to tie down a starting role.
McLeish said: "I've repeatedly told him that he is not fit enough to start games.
"He was disappointed not to start against Chelsea. He thought it was a slight and was a bit embarrassed by that.
"A top player thinks he can just walk into the team - but it doesn't work like that."
McLeish has also called on £6million summer signing Nikola Zigic to add more aggression to his game.
The towering striker has looked more comfortable over recent weeks, having started to settle in England, but his manager feels there is still plenty more to come if he works on the right areas.
The former Scotland boss said: "For such a big guy, the aggression is not in his game.
"He is a passionate guy but we've tried to put aggression in his game and he is getting better.
"It is about telling him to attack the ball because in Europe he probably only heads the ball three or four times in a game, and it's the same with Serbia.
"He is used to the ball being played on the deck but we want him to become more aggressive."
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McLeish - Johnson for England

Alex McLeish feels Birmingham central defender Roger Johnson should be considered for an England call-up.
The former Scotland boss believes 27-year-old Johnson "deserves a shout" after impressing in the Premier League this season.
Johnson played a key role in City's shock 1-0 home win over leaders Chelsea on Saturday, and manager McLeish heaped praise on the stopper.
McLeish said: "I think we are a bit unfashionable as a club and that is probably a factor.
"But the two boys (Johnson and Scott Dann) have been absolutely magnificent at the back.
"Roger, at the age of 27, is a wee bit ahead of Scott in terms of his experience.
"Scotty is turning heads with his performances because he is young and there is potential there.
"But I think Johnson deserves to at least have a shout of competing with other guys who are being touted for England.
"I am not telling Fabio Capello his job but I just think our boy deserves a shout."
McLeish added: "Roger is a fantastic team-mate. He is a guy you would want in the trenches with you.
"He is a terrific team man and his performances have been so solid and so consistent.
"You need your centre-halves to be consistent. When the team is not doing so well, these guys have still got to be on top of their game.
"That is why at the end of the season, when you look at players stats, it is normally always defenders who are up there."
"People talk about people like Gary Cahill, rightly so, and Owen Coyle is extolling his virtues. I'm going to do that about Roger now.
"He is very vocal about not being picked. He says 'what have I got to do gaffer."
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Carlo defiant in defeat

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti praised his players despite their shock 1-0 defeat at Birmingham City.
The Premier League champions were beaten thanks to a first-half effort from Lee Bowyer, but the real hero was goalkeeper Ben Foster as the England shot-stopper produced a string of fine saves to stem the Chelsea tide.
Foster's heroics condemned the West Londoners to their third defeat in four league matches and they only stay top of the Premier League table on goal difference.
Chelsea were humbled 3-0 by Sunderland at Stamford Bridge last weekend, but Ancelotti saw a much-improved performance this time around.
He told Sky Sports: "We had a very good reaction. We played good football, we played for 90 minutes, we had a good spirit and a good attitude.
"We are disappointed for the result - this is normal because I think we deserved to win.
"We deserved to lose against Sunderland but now we deserved to win. I think we were unlucky but this is football.
"Foster had a fantastic performance. He saved a lot of opportunities. Congratulations to him.
"Didier (Drogba) played a good match. He had a lot of opportunities and was unlucky because he hit the crossbar.
"To win you have to shoot one time. They shot one time and they did a fantastic move. We weren't concentrating in that moment, it was just a mistake during the game."
Former assistant manager Ray Wilkins was sacked by the club last week and since his departure Chelsea have lost two from two.
However, Ancelotti attempted to play down the effect of Wilkins' dismissal. He added: "Ray did a fantastic job, he's my friend but the club took the decision and we have to look forward, nothing changed (today).
"He is my friend but (new assistant, Michael) Emenalo also is my friend - for this reason nothing has changed.
"I am not happy when we don't win but today was better than the last game against Sunderland."
On how much his side missed injured captain John Terry, the Italian remarked: "I don't want to say about the players that were not involved in the game.
"It is not nice for the players that played a good game today.
"I hope that John Terry will be ready quickly, as will Frank Lampard."
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Fabulous Foster denies Chelsea

Man of the match: Ben Foster was a man possessed in the Birmingham goal and somehow kept Chelsea at bay - superb performance.
Goal of the match: Lee Bowyer took his goal with aplomb, sliding the ball home after a great knock-down by Cameron Jerome.
Save of the match: Many to pick from...the best coming in the first-half when Foster somehow clawed out a Didier Drogba header that was flying in the far corner.
Moment of the match: As the second-half drew on it became apparent that it was just going to be one of those days for Chelsea - epitomised when Foster dived out to deny Salomon Kalou at his feet.
Talking point: Three league defeats in four, is it time to worry if you are Carlo Ancelotti?
Birmingham City held on for a remarkable 1-0 win over champions Chelsea in the Premier League, following a heroic display from goalkeeper Ben Foster and the entire defence.
Still smarting from their humbling at home to Sunderland last weekend, the Londoners travelled to the Midlands looking to right the wrongs of their previous outing, but time and time again they were thwarted by Foster.
Lee Bowyer scored the only goal of the game in the 17th minute - latching on to a Cameron Jerome knock-down and finishing coolly past Petr Cech with his left foot.
It proved to be their last shot on target as in a scene akin to the Alamo, Birmingham set their stall out to defend their goal as if their lives depended on it.
Didier Drogba hit the crossbar with a header in the first half, but it was epic stuff from Roger Johnson, Scott Dann and in particular Foster, that condemned Chelsea to three league defeats in four games.
Chelsea were quickly into their stride and Salomon Kalou missed an early chance to put them ahead.
Drogba's flick found Kalou with only Foster to beat but his shot went through the legs of the keeper and just past the post.
Foster made a fine save to keep Birmingham on level terms after Drogba was sent clear by Kalou.
It was the kind of chance Drogba would normally convert but Foster raced off his line to reduce the angle and saved low to his left.
Chelsea had quickly established a grip of the game and were taking advantage of having an extra midfield player.
But Birmingham stunned Chelsea by taking the lead via their first worthwhile attack after 17 minutes.
Sebastian Larsson's right-wing cross was headed down by Jerome to Bowyer who was completely unmarked and lashed the ball past Cech for his first goal of the season.
Chelsea tried to retaliate and Foster went down to his right to hold onto Drogba's effort from the right of the box.
He then made a superb reflex save to keep out Drogba's close-range header from Nicolas Anelka's centre.
Chelsea continued to dominate and Foster again did well to beat out an Ashley Cole shot after he had seized onto a pass from Kalou.
Chelsea were carving chances almost at will and Alex had a free header from Florent Malouda's corner but directed it past the post.
Drogba tried his luck with a low 30-yard free-kick and Foster was again alert to turn it around the post.
But he was helpless after 38 minutes when Drogba crashed a header against the crossbar from Malouda's cross.
Ramires was first to react to the rebound but from eight yards out slashed his shot wide.
Chelsea continued in the same manner after the break although there were less clear-cut openings.
Johnson produced a superb tackle to stop Ramires after his run into the box and needed treatment to his knee before being able to continue.
Kalou had Chelsea's best chance to date of the second period when turning back inside but he curled his shot over the bar with Foster off his line.
Carlo Ancelotti brought on Jose Bosingwa in place of Paulo Ferreira after 65 minutes.
The chances started to come again for the visitors with Foster holding onto a Drogba free-kick and Kalou heading wide from Anelka's cross.
Scott Dann's backpass played in Kalou but Foster took the ball away from his feet with a perfectly timed challenge.
Foster parried aside a Branislav Ivanovic header as the pressure again became relentless.
Liam Ridgewell was yellow carded for bringing down Bosingwa but Chelsea could not find a way through.
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McLeish hails Foster show

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish hailed the performance of Ben Foster following the remarkable 1-0 win over Chelsea.
City stunned the defending Premier League champions with a surprising victory at St Andrews, as Lee Bowyer's 17th minute strike earned the home side all three points.
But it was the performance of goalkeeper Foster that caught the eye, as time and time again he denied Chelsea with a string of fantastic saves.
The most impressive stop came when the former Manchester United man kept out a Didier Drogba header in the first half that seemed destined for the bottom corner.
McLeish hailed the effort of his whole side but in particular piled praised on the excellent Foster.
On the keeper's performance, he told Sky Sports: "It was marvellous. We were under the cosh in the second half and we just couldn't get hold of the ball.
"I tried to get Alex Hleb on to take a bit of the pressure off us but Alex was frustrated at not getting a touch.
"We had to mount a rearguard and it was definitely all hands to the pump."
On keeping out Drogba's header, he added: "It was a kind of Gordon Banks save wasn't it? It took me way back to that fantastic save by Banks against Pele.
"His agility is phenomenal and I stressed the importance of a good goalkeeper two seasons ago.
"Joe Hart had a marvellous season and Ben Foster has also been exceptional."
McLeish had claimed in the build-up to the match that Birmingham could cause an upset and pile more pressure on the champions, and the Scot was delighted to see his prediction come to fruition.
He said: "Today was a marvellous result for us. I said before the game, 'it is achievable' but you never know with a marvellous outfit such as Chelsea.
"They've got players who can turn the game in an instant and they nearly did it a few times today.
"But we stood resolute. The players were fantastic in their commitment, determination, a great rearguard and a great goalkeeper."
On opposite number Carlo Ancelotti, he remarked: "Carlo Ancelotti is a marvellous coach. He's got fantastic experience, a cabinet full of trophies and he'll know the best way to get these guys back.
"I'm sure he'll be buoyed by the Chelsea performance because they were a good team today."
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Mancini plans SWP talks

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini is planning talks with Shaun Wright-Phillips over the winger's future.
The 29-year-old has remained in the England squad despite making just six appearances for City this season following the arrival of David Silva and James Milner.
But his father, former Arsenal and England striker Ian Wright, has declared he should leave the club in the January transfer window to be sure of staying in Fabio Capello's plans.
Mancini accepts the former Chelsea man's situation, though, and insists he will discuss the matter with Wright-Phillips, who rejoined City in 2008 on a four-year contract.
"I must speak with Shaun," said the Blues boss.
"Everyone wants to play. This is normal.
"But when you stay in a top team it is not easy to always play and I can understand his frustration."
City sorely missed the pace and trickery of Wright-Phillips and fellow England winger Adam Johnson on the few opportunities they tried to attack on Wednesday as a much-hyped Manchester derby finished goalless.
Mancini is set to recall at least one of them for Saturday's home game against Birmingham, when City are expected to be far more expansive than they were against United.
But the Italian boss made no apologies for his side's pragmatic approach at Eastlands, which restricted their derby rivals to just three shots on target.
"Our supporters and journalists criticised us but we tried to win," he said.
"We tried to win but we were not on the pitch alone. We had opponents trying to stop us.
"I didn't think it was a boring game. Maybe people prefer 3-3 or 4-4 but this is impossible.
"We must have a balance. You try to score but you must also defend."
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McLeish - Hleb needs time

Alex McLeish has called for patience as Birmingham fans wait to see the best of Alexander Hleb.
The Belarus playmaker moved to St Andrews from Barcelona on a season-long loan deal over the summer but has so far failed to shine.
He has been hampered by a series of niggling injuries and is still short of full fitness after not being able to train regularly.
McLeish even left Hleb out of his starting line-up for the midweek 3-2 loss at Stoke and he remained on the substitutes' bench for the entire 90 minutes.
The Blues manager is confident the 29-year-old will come good but accepts it may take a bit more time.
"Alex knows he is a big-time player and there are high expectation levels on him," said McLeish.
"He has got a reputation to preserve but he is not fully fit. He is not 100 per cent. If Hleb was fully fit, we know he would be shrugging off the challenges on him.
"If we can get him top fit, we know that he will be a different player and a player who can make a difference. But I've got to do what is right for the team."
McLeish admits that Hleb has been playing catch-up since arriving on deadline day after being on the fringes at Barca.
"Alexander has been here 70 days and only trained for about 13," said the Scot.
"We have to get that statistic higher to make sure he is at a level where he is going to make a difference for this football club. It's just little niggles all over.
"The pre-season is crucial for players. If you don't get the right pre-season, the season can become a struggle for them.
"They can pick up niggles and Alex did not have much action pre-season at Barcelona.
"He said he did all the training but games-wise he didn't do much. He is about 12 games behind these guys here."
McLeish is not getting too worried at this stage about Birmingham's current position of 17th in the table but has urged his players to cut out recent mistakes.
Blues embarked on a 15-game unbeaten run this time last season and McLeish is looking for a similar spell of good form.
"Time will tell if we can do that sort of thing again but we've proved we can do it," McLeish said.
"We've got different personnel this season but we have proved we can do it so why not?
"Everyone panics, the doom and gloom merchants appear and start to talk about the negative side of things.
"I know the way people spin things to try and put on a wee bit of pressure. But we are used to that.
"I've been in the game a long, long time and we just have to keep cool, keep calm.
"There is no reason why we can't go on a good run in the middle or end of the season. We have got the players."
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Toure - We must beat Blues

Kolo Toure makes no apologies for Manchester City's bore draw with Manchester United but admits Saturday's clash with Birmingham is a must-win fixture.
The Eastlands outfit and their bitter local rivals played out a dour stalemate on Wednesday night with the home side coming in for criticism for their negative approach of playing just Carlos Tevez up front.
Ivory Coast international Toure believes that if City are to challenge for silverware in the top flight then they must avoid defeat against their title rivals and then take maximum points against other clubs.
"It's difficult to play against the big teams. If you don't lose against them then that is good," he said.
"But for sure this weekend it will be different as these are must-win games.
"If you want to be fighting for the league you have to beat these teams. I am not saying they are bad teams, but if we want to be top then we have to win those games.
"The most important thing in the Premier League is to make sure you beat the teams that you are supposed to beat.
"If you can do that and then draw against the big teams like United then you will be OK. You can be up there. It's a long season."
The former Arsenal centre-back has called on City's supporters to show patience with the team and manager Roberto Mancini and has warned the fans not to expect a buccaneering approach in the big games.
"We know about United. They are a top club with top players and it was important not to lose the game as we had to keep the fourth place," he added.
"When you play against the top teams, the most important thing is to try not to lose.
"This was a difficult game but we are delighted with a draw. Of course, the fans have to be patient. It's very difficult as we were playing against top players.
"If you make a mistake then you will get punished. That's what we didn't want to happen.
"Most importantly, we have a draw and a point and that's good. The most important thing is not to lose."
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Welcome relief for Whitehead

Dean Whitehead was delighted to help Stoke past Birmingham and end his personal goal drought.
A topsy-turvy encounter at the Britannia Stadium swung one way and then the next, with the Potters fearing they had let two points slip at one stage.
Tony Pulis' side edged into a two-goal lead courtesy of Robert Huth and Ricardo Fuller, but saw that lead disappear in the space of two second half minutes as Keith Fahey and Cameron Jerome restored parity.
It was to be Stoke's day, though, and Whitehead pounced five minutes from time to wrap up the points and end a run of four straight defeats.
"Our main priority today was to get the three points and we got that in the end," Whitehead told Sky Sports.
"We made it hard for ourselves again but we got there in the end."
Whitehead admits Birmingham had Stoke on the ropes at 2-2, with self-preservation the order of the day at that point.
"I think at the time they put us under a lot of pressure, they pushed us back, and it was nice to get the winner in the end," he added.
The midfielder was at a loss to explain how the Potters threw away such a commanding advantage, but was relieved to get his side off the hook.
He said: "We have done that quite a few times this year but today but we got the result in the end, which is the main thing."
Whitehead was also delighted to have got his name on the scoresheet again, having gone 84 Premier League games without a goal.
Asked whether that was too long for a player of his talent, he said: "It is a bit, but I've got it today and the three points were the main thing."

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Potters prevail over Blues

Man of the match: Dean Whitehead. The Stoke midfielder ran the show for the hosts and popped up with a rare goal to help the Potters to victory.
Goal of the match: Without a doubt Ricardo Fuller's individual strike. Anyone who had the privilege of seeing this goal will agree the striker's precise finish was a sight to behold.
Moment of the match: Whitehead's winner halted Birmingham's fightback and it proved the vital moment in which this topsy-turvy contest was decided.
Talking point: Can Stoke build from this dramatic win which saw them end a woeful run in the league? And will Birmingham, who are still without an away win in 2010, get a better opportunity than tonight?
Stoke City ended their run of poor form as they edged a five goal thriller against Birmingham City at the Britannia Stadium.
Tuesday night's televised Premier League encounter was a slow-burner until Robert Huth's opener on the brink of half-time paved the way for the game to catch light.
Ricardo Fuller looked to have put the Potters in the clear against the run of play with a wonderful solo goal on 71 minutes.
That was until Blues' fast-becoming trademark fightback ensued with Keith Fahey and Cameron Jerome scoring to make it 2-2 five minutes later.
But Tony Pulis' side somehow managed to claw their way in front once again with Dean Whitehead's 85th minute winner ending a run of four defeats on the spin.
The much-needed victory lifted Stoke above Birmingham in the table to 15th, with the Blues sliding down to 17th.
It had appeared the three points would be secured in a comfortable manner by the mid-point of the match after an opening period the hosts had dominated.
Stoke were soon on the front foot as their wingers began to impose themselves, Matthew Etherington aiming a cross at Kenwyne Jones' head and the ball falling to Jermaine Pennant, who produced an even better delivery that the Trinidad and Tobago striker nodded wide.
Pennant then floated another delightful ball into the danger zone from the right but Ben Foster was able to claim it.
Potters fans protested for a penalty moments later when Foster collided with Danny Higginbotham as the goalkeeper rushed out to push the ball away, but referee Mark Clattenburg waved play on and Fuller saw his attempt deflect off target.
The home side continued to send crosses into the Birmingham box, with Jones heading wide again and Foster just managing to keep Huth at bay.
A defensive mix-up for the Blues saw Fuller slipped in, but Foster was alert once more and came out to take the ball off the Jamaican's toe.
The England stopper looked less assured soon after as he flapped near his goal-line at a Rory Delap long throw, although he did appear to have Huth leaning against him.
Whitehead collected a knock-down in the 37th minute and attempted to unleash a shot that hit a defender and went for a throw.
Delap hurled it into the box again but this time Foster confidently fisted it away.
Another Delap throw led to a corner three minutes before the break which Jones rose to meet powerfully, Foster tipping the header over the bar.
But two minutes later Stoke's pressure finally paid off as they took the lead through their skipper Huth.
Fuller's drilled shot from the edge of the box ricocheted off a couple of Birmingham players and Huth was there to lash the ball in off Foster.
It could have got worse for the Blues before the interval but Foster saved a shot from Delap and Fuller got in the way of a Huth header before Clattenburg blew for half-time.
The hosts maintained the tempo after the break as Etherington chipped the ball into the path of Fuller, whose touch let him down with Barry Ferguson looming, and Huth headed a corner wide.
Huth was on hand again to meet Pennant's free-kick but could not get the direction right and then Etherington swung in a dangerous ball which nobody could get on the end of.
Birmingham looked more potent moments later as Jerome cut into the box and hit a low shot which Begovic got down to save, and they went the closest to date when Roger Johnson saw the Bosnian keeper tip his bullet header over.
Suddenly Stoke's lead was looking vulnerable, with Craig Gardner firing a free-kick at Begovic.
Birmingham then almost equalised as a scramble saw Higginbotham hit his own post and Gardner's shot blocked on the line.
Within seconds, though, it was Stoke who had the ball in the net, Fuller twisting and turning before producing a sensational strike into the top corner.
The points looked safe for Stoke, but only three minutes later Blues substitute Fahey pulled one back after a mistake by Higginbotham.
Alex McLeish's side had come back from 2-0 down in their last game against West Ham United and before Stoke knew what had hit them, they had repeated the trick as Jerome glanced Sebastian Larsson's cross past Begovic.
It had taken the Potters only five minutes to throw away a two-goal lead and they looked shell-shocked.
Their opponents smelt blood and Gardner fired one in which Begovic dealt with.
But in the end, it was the hosts who emerged triumphant from the game's crazy climax as Etherington's cross slipped between the legs of Scott Dann and Whitehead pounced, prodding home to seal victory.
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Birmingham ban Gold

Birmingham have banned West Ham chairman David Gold from the St Andrews directors box and boardroom area in a new twist to the quarrel between the two parties.
The move comes in response to quotes credited to Gold in Friday morning newspapers where he described Birmingham acting chairman Peter Pannu as 'disgusting'.
Gold's apparent outburst was his latest in claiming that, having sold the Blues with business partner David Sullivan to Carson Yeung in 2009, he was offered an honorary role to stay at the club.
It is then alleged by the 73-year-old that the invite to stay at Birmingham was withdrawn in a 'degrading' act because Pannu insinuated in an article that he was too old.
Birmingham have denied all such allegations and have written to West Ham to inform the club of what is essentially a banning order for Gold ahead of Saturday's Premier League match in the Midlands.
A statement on Birmingham's official website read: "Blues acting chairman Peter Pannu, whilst refusing to be drawn into a war of words with the previous owners, wishes to clarify that Carson Yeung and Co had never offered David Gold to remain behind as 'Chairman', which would have made absolutely no sense.
"He was offered an opportunity to remain as vice president (non-executive) upon his request, which he refused.
"All the current allegations are false and untrue and the club will keep all options open."
A copy of the letter sent to Hammers secretary Liz Coley on behalf of the Blues board has been printed in the Birmingham Mail.
It states that due to the Gold's "inflammatory comments" the board "has taken the decision to withdraw Mr Gold's personal invitation to our fixture tomorrow and he will therefore not be permitted to enter the directors seating or boardroom area'.
The letter continued: "The board feel that they are left with no other option but to withdraw Mr Gold's invitation due to the above and that this is the appropriate action to take, in addition the board are also mindful of potential security issues for Mr Gold and a possible adverse reaction that may arise from the Birmingham supporters as a result of the comments made.
"Furthermore, as our president (Yeung) will also be flying in for the game, the board felt that a harmonious boardroom environment should not be affected as we all want a good atmosphere on the day and a good game of football."
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Gold replies to Blues ban

David Gold has responded to his Birmingham ban by promising to welcome all members of the Blues board to Upton Park when the teams next meet.
Birmingham have banned the West Ham chairman from the St Andrews directors box and boardroom for Saturday's Premier League visit of the Hammers.
The move was the latest twist in the ongoing quarrel between the two parties following Gold's alleged comments in Friday's newspapers about the club he was in charge of for 16 years along with David Sullivan. Gold described current City vice-chairman Peter Pannu as "disgusting", according to reports.
Gold claimed that he was denied the chance to remain as chairman of Birmingham by Pannu after he and Sullivan sold the midlands club to Carson Yeung for £8.5million. Pannu has been adamant Gold was never guaranteed such a role and he later rejected the chance to be a vice-president.
The Hammers chairman admits he is disappointed with the ban, but insists he will welcome the Birmingham board for the return game in February.
Gold told West Ham's official website: "I was looking forward to attending the game at Birmingham City FC, seeing old friends and was more than happy to put my personal differences aside for the day and shake hands with Peter Pannu and the rest of the Birmingham board.
"I am therefore extremely disappointed that the club has decide to withdraw their offer to invite me to St Andrew's.
"Despite this, I look forward to welcoming each member of the Birmingham City board to Upton Park when they visit us in February for the return fixture.
"I do not want this matter to overshadow or distract from what is a vital game for West Ham United, and as such I will not be making any further comments at this moment in time."
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Villa share spoils with Blues

Man of the match
There was little quality on display during a disappointing goalless draw at Villa Park but Birmingham's Sebastian Larsson just about gets the nod due to him looking the most likely player to unlock the opposition defence with a number of dangerous deliveries.
Moment of the match
In a largely dull contest, perhaps the funniest moment was when a fan tried to head a ball which had been cleared out of play, only for him to fall over the advertising boards in the process. He was harshly escorted out of the ground by the stewards.
Attempt of the match
Ashley Young came agonisingly close to winning the match for Villa one minute from time when his powerful drive from the right side of the box smashed against the outside angle of post and bar.
Save of the match
In the 80th minute Barry Bannan charged forward for Aston Villa but his curling effort from the edge of the box was well saved by Birmingham goalkeeper Ben Foster.
Talking point
Aston Villa showed few signs of creativity or an attacking cutting edge against Birmingham and having now only scored nine goals in the league this season, you wonder if they can match last season's sixth-place finish.
Aston Villa failed to continue their winning streak over fierce local rivals Birmingham as they were held to a goalless draw on Sunday afternoon.
Gerard Houllier's men, who had previously enjoyed a run of six consecutive victories over their neighbours, were denied bragging rights at Villa Park as the defensive-minded Midlands derby ended in a 0-0 stalemate.
The Blues had the better of play in an uninspiring first half, with former Villa midfielder Craig Gardner's goal-bound shot coming close, but neither keeper was seriously tested.
Nigel Reo-Coker almost broke the deadlock for Villa after the restart, but his low-dipping shot from outside the box was snatched up by Blues shot-stopper Ben Foster.
Villa upped the tempo as the minutes ticked down and Barry Bannan had the best attempt of the game for the hosts 10 minutes from time as Foster was forced to act fast to block the substitute's powerful drive.
Ciaran Clark and Ashley Young then both came teasingly close in the dying minutes of the clash, but neither side could get on the scoresheet as they took a point apiece from the lacklustre encounter.
The midfield was overcrowded with both sides only employing one out and out striker in Emile Heskey and Nikola Zigic
Villa seemed to rely mainly on trying to find Heskey with a direct approach and Ashley Young was a peripheral figure for long periods.
They finished the stronger of the two teams but have now gone three league games without a goal and it would have been harsh on Birmingham to end up with nothing.
Sebastian Larsson and Stephen Carr got forward to good effect down the right flank for City but Zigic failed to make an impression.
Former England Under-20 skipper Ciaran Clark operated in an unaccustomed midfield role just in front of the Villa back four.
Villa were the first to settle and a shortish back pass from Liam Ridgewell left Ben Foster having to react quickly to clear from from Heskey.
But the first half chance fell to Craig Gardner whose first time shot in the box was goal-bound but blocked by Villa defender James Collins.
Villa looked the more composed on the ball in the early stages.
A skidding pass into the box from Ashley Young only just eluded the run of Heskey as it ran through to Foster.
Gardner became the first player to be yellow carded by Webb after 12 minutes for a lunge at Reo-Coker who reacted angrily.
Villa keeper Brad Friedel got his body behind a curling shot from Keith Fahey from the edge of the box.
Foster was relieved when his clearance was charged down by Heskey and flew out of play for a goal-kick after another under-hit back pass from Ridgewell.
Fahey managed to bring down a deep cross from Larsson although his overhead kick was comfortably deal with by Friedel.
Birmingham had strong appeals for a penalty rejected after 38 minutes when the ball appeared to hit the lower arm of Reo-Coker but they were waved away by Webb.
Zigic became the second City player to be yellow carded a minute later after he caught Collins when leading with his arm.
Friedel had to be alert to gather a low 25 yard drive from Gardner which gathered pace as it zipped off the surface.
It was 56 minutes before Foster made his first meaningful save of the game, parrying away a low dipping attempt by Reo-Coker from outside the box.
Houllier made his first change after 58 minutes with Steve Sidwell replaced by Barry Bannan.
Collins made a superb block at full stretch to block a shot from Gardner. At the other end Roger Johnson got in a crucial challenge on Heskey.
Blues defender Scott Dann was booked for bringing down Clark. Then Reo-Coker was yellow carded after appearing to kick out at Gardner after being fouled.
Foster parried away a Bannan drive after good play by Heskey.
Clark headed just wide after substitute John Carew had turned the ball back across the box and he needed treatment after being caught by Foster.
Ashley Young clipped the outside of a post with a rising drive as Villa searched in vain for a winner but Zigic could have won the game when he headed wide from Larsson's free-kick.
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Mac praises resilient Blues

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish hailed the 'steel and resolve' of his side following their goalless draw at Aston Villa.
The Blues held their fierce Midlands rivals to a stalemate in a largely uneventful but fairly physical clash at Villa Park, in which five players were handed yellow cards.
Defender Roger Johnson looked unlikely to continue after he was brought down by Villa midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker in the second-half, but he played through the pain barrier to complete the full 90 minutes.
McLeish hailed the 27-year-old's tough approach, telling Sky Sports News: "Guys put their bodies on the line, like Roger Johnson.
"The physio, George Cooper, told me, 'you've got to get him off, there's no way he can stay on.' But I said 'I bet you he goes back on' and as such is the steel and resolve I've got in the team.
"He's been having some problems with his calf and I really don't want to lose him, he's been exceptional in 47, 48 games in a row in the Premier League. He deserves all the plaudits."
McLeish was impressed by the Blues' display on Sunday, insisting their point was well-earned.
"It's a good point, we got something well-deserved and might even have sneaked in a couple of good chances," he said.
"We were very impressive I felt, (in terms of) passing the ball and organisation."
The Blues boss feels Villa provided tough competition as the players looked to make an impression on Gerard Houllier, who took over as manager at the beginning of the season.
"Gerard is finding his feet now," he added. "The players certainly were trying to impress Gerard and there were a lot of good performances.
"But I felt, on the day, we definitely at least deserved a point."
McLeish is already looking ahead to Birmingham's visit of West Ham next weekend, and is expecting a testing encounter.
"I think we'll take it just one game at a time," he said. "We've got another difficult one coming up next week and we'll have to look at that.
"That's a huge game for both of us. Every game is really difficult and to win games in the Premier League is exceptionally tough as well."
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Mac optimistic over McFadden

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish is hopeful of striker James McFadden returning from injury before the end of the season.
McFadden was beginning to discover his top form when he suffered cruciate ligament damage in training last month.
It was initially feared that the 27-year-old would be sidelined for at least six months and, by the time he had regained match sharpness, the season would effectively be over.
However, McLeish is now optimistic the Scotland international could make a comeback after Christmas.
"He's progressed very well, but we have to put the reins on him," said McLeish.
"It's a cruciate injury. No matter how players recover from it, they certainly don't recover in two or three months.
"We have to put the brakes on his own passion to get fit again.
"He's doing some light weights, some bench presses, some leg presses. Things like that. One of the physios is working with him every day.
"Will he be back before the end of the season? I think he could be. Stefan Klos made a great recovery at Rangers from the same sort of thing when I was there.
"I think he was back in four or five months and James has shown that kind of progress as well."
He added: "It was a shame it happened when it did because I felt James was going to have a big season and he had just played very well against Liverpool.
"It also hampered our striking situation because the others weren't quite ready to return."
McFadden is out of contract at St Andrews at the end of the season, although the Blues have a two-year option in their favour they can apply.
McLeish said: "I wouldn't think that we would be letting a guy like James McFadden walk out of here free."
Aston Villa 4/5, Draw 5/2, Birmingham 7/2
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