Gary Rowett's Birmingham City side lead high-flying Brentford at half time thanks to a James Tarkowski own goal that came shortly before the break.

Birmingham captain Paul Caddis nearly broke the deadlock in spectacular fashion when he burst forward and beat three Brentford men, before running out of space as he desperately tried to get his shot away.

The home side kept up the pressure and could have been ahead on nine minutes when David Cotterill's dangerous inswinging cross was inches away from connecting with the outstretched boot of Clayton Donaldson.

Two minutes later, Donaldson rounded David Button in the Brentford goal, only to fluff his lines with a tame effort that trundled wide.

Brentford's first chance came when Tarkowski glanced a header wide from a corner, but it was not long before the home side threatened again when Donaldson's header from a Caddis cross was beaten away by Button.

Demarai Gray crashed an effort over from range as the hosts looked to convert their dominance into a lead, but it seemed that Brentford would hold on until the half-time whistle.

That was until Donaldson's header from a Caddis cross struck the back of Tarkowski and beat Button to hand Birmingham the lead.