Ryan Taylor brace defeats ten man Blues and propels club eight points clear of safety
The former Tranmere man netted two vital goals to help Steve Bruce push his former club back into the relegation mire and at the same time lift Latics eight points clear of safety into 14th place, at least for 24 hours.
The 23-year old opened the scoring after a quarter-of-an-hours play by side-footing home from Antonio Valencia's cross after the Ecuadorian winger was allowed to run into the box unchallenged.
Latics were in confident mood in the first half displaying some brilliant one touch football and their tempo made life hard for the visitors. Birmingham's fortunes got even worse in the 37th minute when captain Damien Johnson was shown a straight red from referee Mike Dean for a two footed challenge on Kevin Kilbane.
Wigan then sealed the victory ten minutes after the break as Taylor scrambled home his second goal. Valencia's cross was nodded on by Marcus Bent across the box, and Paul Scharner did well to keep the ball in play, and the Austrian gave the ball to Heskey whose shot was saved by Maik Taylor, but the ball fell to Ryan Taylor who scrambled the ball in past the helpless Blues 'keeper.
The first ten minutes proved to be a scrappy affair, but suddenly Latics look the far more convincing side and they swept past Birmingham and created numerous first half chances before seeing the game out in the second half.
There was only one change for Latics, with Wilson Palacios returning from suspension. Josip Skoko remained in midfield and Kilbane replaced Erik Hagen in the left-back slot with the Norwegian having to settle for a place on the bench.
Despite only scoring one goal in the first half, Latics could have arguably have had far more. Just after Johnson' red card, Kilbane fired a scorching left-footed shot which smacked the near post from twenty yards.
Maik Taylor had to be at his best in the 19th minute as Valencia sparkled on the right, and he drove the ball towards the target and the Birmingham shot stopper managed to block it and eventually the ball was cleared at the third time of asking.
And just minutes later, Kilbane was allowed to run into the penalty box before being unable to get round Radhi Jaidi and the ball fell to Heskey whose first time shot was straight at the goalkeeper.
Marcus Bent also had two chances to increase Wigan's advantage too. In the 10th minute he blasted over after Melchiot's pass cut through the penalty box. The two combined a minute before the break and Bent side footed just wide of the post.
In the second half, Heskey saw his shot whistle past just wide of Maik Taylor but once Latics doubled the lead they slowed down the tempo and saw the game through.
It was an excellent win for Latics who hardly gave Birmingham a look in, and there might have been a third goal as Skoko's dipping half-volley looked to have beaten the goalkeeper but the ball drifted wide of the post.
The Blues had shots from Gary McSheffrey and Mauro Zarate at Chris Kirkland but the England goalkeeper was never really tested in the ninety minutes.
LATICS: Kirkland; Melchiot (c), Boyce, Scharner, Kilbane; Valencia, Palacios, Skoko (Figueroa 90), Taylor (Sibierski 84); Bent, Heskey (King 88).
UNUSED SUBS: Pollitt, Hagen.
GOALS: Taylor, 15, 55.
BIRMINGHAM: Maik Taylor; Kelly, Jaidi, Martin Taylor (Parnaby 72), Murphy; Larsson, Muamba, Johnson (c), McSheffrey (Nafti 63); Forrsell (Jerome 67), Zarate.
BOOKED: Murphy, Jahdi.
RED CARDS: Johnson 37
UNUSED SUBS: Doyle, Parnaby, O'Connor.
REFEREE: Mike Dean.
ATTENDANCE: 17,926
