Gary Rowett happy with 'deserved' Birmingham win

Birmingham manager Gary Rowett believed his side were deserved winners after a 2-1 victory at home to QPR left them fourth in the Sky Bet Championship table.

His team lie below Reading and Middlesbrough only on goal difference after a victory in which Paul Robinson and Paul Caddis found the target.

Rowett claimed: "We deserved to win and after going a goal down, after losing our previous two home games, that could have put a lot of pressure on the team.

"It is one of the first times we have gone behind and come back to win. We showed a different side to our game and Paul Robinson's equaliser gave us more belief in ourselves."

Rowett admitted: "It is so hard to control people's expectations. We are joint second on merit. The win must give the players even more confidence after taking on a team which was in the Premier League last season and beat them at home while limiting them to very few opportunities.

"We now have keep trying to improve but that is going to be a tremendous challenge."

Rowett certainly had every reason to be pleased with the performance of his veteran defender Robinson who made only his fifth appearance of the season.

It was Robinson who popped up to grab the vital equaliser to cancel out an earlier first half goal by Matt Phillips.

It really was a milestone occasion for Robinson who scored his first league goal in 115 appearances for Birmingham. His only other goal was in a 3-0 win over Bristol Rovers in the FA Cup in January 2014.

Rowett said: "He has been very good. Anyone who keeps Jonathan Spector out of the side has to be playing well. As we have kept winning he has been excellent."

Following two successive home defeats Birmingham carved out their well deserved victory with a 63rd minute penalty from Caddis which inflicted Rangers' fourth league defeat of the season and a warning of more problems to come.

QPR manager Chris Ramsey came in for some criticism from visiting fans late in the game and was far from happy with the result.

Ramsey is looking for assistance from Neil Warnock who has joined Rangers in an advisory role and explained: "It is more of a sounding board for myself. He has a wealth of experience. He has been promoted a few times and bringing him in will add to our backroom staff. We are going to try and tap into his expertise.

"I do not see him as a threat to myself as he doesn't want to be a manager any more. It was my choice and he is quite happy to be joining us."

Ramsey added: "It is always difficult for a relegated club. It is difficult to have a completely new team.

"I am not making an excuse but when most of your team come four or five days before the season the pre-season becomes null and void.

"We are not in a bad position. If we win our next two games all of a sudden things will change. I have confidence in the players and squad and I expect us to be in the top half and pushing for promotion. But at times you have to be patient.

"Managing the expectations are huge at QPR and the brunt of the criticism is going to hit me."