WASTEFUL Rovers twice let a lead slip as they had settle for a second successive Championship draw on a balmy evening in the Midlands when their slim hopes of reaching the play-offs mathematically ended.

Captain Matt Kilgallon’s first goal of the season and top-scorer Jordan Rhodes’ 18th of the campaign had twice put Gary Bowyer’s side in front.

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But firstly Jonathan Grounds and then Demarai Gray earned Birmingham a share of the spoils they will feel they deserved after a drastically improved second-half display.

The match, however, would have been put beyond the Blues had Rudy Gestede taken a gilt-edged opportunity moments before Gray’s strike.

Rovers fans’ expectations were not high after Saturday’s bore 0-0 draw with Reading.

But there was more action in the first nine minutes here than there was in 90 at the Madejski Stadium.

It was Birmingham who had the first shot of the night, Diego Fabbrini firing over from 20 yards in the second minute.

But that was the last time they threatened Simon Eastwood’s goal until first-half injury-time.

Instead it was Rovers, featuring full debutant John O’Sullivan, who took control of the contest.

And, after Craig Conway drove the ball straight at Darren Randolph, they went in front in the eighth minute.

The recalled Conway was the provider, swinging a corner into the middle of the Blues box where Kilgallon directed a perfectly placed header into the bottom corner.

At that stage Rovers were completely bossing the ball and a repeat of their showing in last season’s corresponding clash, when they raced into a four-goal half-time lead, looked on the cards.

Disappointingly, though, they were unable to maintain the momentum and, despite creating some promising crossing positions, they failed to trouble Randolph again before the break.

But with Birmingham resembling anything but a team chasing a fifth home win in seven home outings, they were not punished for taking their foot off the gas.

Eastwood, bar from having to deal with couple of difficult crosses, was a virtual spectator until he showed smart reactions to palm away a powerful Stephen Gleeson drive that took the slightest of deflections.

Whatever Blues boss Gary Rowett said to his side at the interval certainly worked.

They would have equalised in the 57th minute had it not been for a superb goal-line clearance from Ben Marshall.

Gray found some room on the edge of the area and played in Clayton Donaldson and his clever dink over the onrushing Eastwood was heading for the corner until Marshall somehow got back to clear.

Transformed Birmingham then went close again when Rob Kiernan headed a David Cotterill corner inches wide.

It came as no surprise when they levelled the contest in the 64th minute, Grounds beating Eastwood to meet another inviting Cotterill corner.

Parity, however, last just four minutes.

With Gestede and Tom Cairney thrown into the fray, Markus Olsson took a pass from Tommy Spurr and launched a deep cross into the Blues box that Randolph came to claim.

But the goalkeeper made a mess of it, dropping the ball at the feet of Rhodes who turned sharply before rifling home.

Rovers should have made the points safe in the 77th minute when Cairney scampered away down the left and picked out Gestede, who could only head straight at Randolph.

And, with Corry Evans seeing his follow-up effort blocked, Rovers were made to pay 60 seconds later when a cross from the right was cleared only as far as Gray and he beat Eastwood with the aid of a deflection.

Both sides then had chances to win it, Randolph saving from Marshall, before Eastwood brilliantly denied Grounds.

Rovers: Eastwood 6, Marshall 7, Spurr 7, Kilgallon 7, Olsson 7, O’Sullivan 6 (Cairney 67), Spearing 7, Evans 6, Conway 7, Brown 6 (Gestede 67), Rhodes 6. Subs not used: Steele, Henley, Williamson, P Taylor, Lenihan.

Birmingham: Randolph, Caddis, Morrison, Kiernan, Grounds, Gleeson, Tesche (Davis 89), Cotterill (Dyer 79), Fabbrini (Thomas 80), Gray, Donaldson. Subs not used: Doyle, Novak, Shinnie, Spector.

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