The drama surrounding the final day of the Sky Bet Championship relegation struggle did not disappoint.

As the final whistle blew at Ashton Gate after 6 nerve-jangling injury time minutes; 70-year-old Harry Redknapp was a happy and relieved man punching the air with delight. His team had beaten Bristol City 1-0 to stay in the Championship.

1st half action

#Birmingham City needed to win as both #Blackburn Rovers and #Nottingham Forest had won their respective matches.

Had Birmingham City conceded just one solitary goal resulting in a draw, it would not have been enough as both Blackburn Rovers and Nottingham Forest had a superior goal difference.

Maybe it was going to go Blackburn Rovers way as they stormed into a 2 goal lead before they had played 20 minutes. Birmingham City at the same point was leading by the one goal. At this point, Nottingham Forest was the team lying in the relegation zone.

Nottingham Forest wasn't playing particularly well against Ipswich Town but was given a lifeline just before half-time when they were awarded a penalty. Britt Assombalonga slotted the penalty home two minutes before the break. At this point, Nottingham Forest was only above Blackburn Rovers on goals scored.

2nd half action

Fifteen minutes into the second half Brentford scored which put Blackburn Rovers in the relegation zone on goal difference rather than goals scored. Blackburn’s destiny was out of their hands. They needed to make sure they won, and hope result went for them either at Bristol or Nottingham.

A minute later, a deflected goal for Nottingham Forest doubled their lead and reduced Blackburn's hope of survival.

Now they were solely reliant on Bristol City drawing with or defeating Birmingham City. The second goal for Nottingham Forest relaxed both players and the fans. With 20 minutes remaining, Britt Assombalnga scored his second and Forest’s third. Surely, Nottingham Forest was safe from relegation.

Blackburn Rovers were awarded a penalty with 10 minutes remaining which Craig Conway confidently buried.

Rovers players and fans needed any help from Ashton Gate if they were going to have any chances of survival.

The final whistle went at Griffin Park and the City Ground around the same time. Both teams had done everything they could; Nottingham Forest was safe due to a superior goal difference. Blackburn Rovers needed to wish and wait.

Final outcome: Birmingham, Notts Forest survive, Blackburn relegated.

When Lee Mason blew the whistle at the end of the six minutes of injury time Harry Redknapp had accomplished his remit, the Blues were safe. As the Birmingham City players sprinted to their fans, news came through at Griffin Park and the Rovers players dropped to their knees with despair.

Blackburn Rovers did everything asked of them on the final day.

They won by two goals and put themselves in a good place to benefit from a positive result at Bristol City. Rovers might feel particularly unlucky when they see that last year clubs survived with 41 points. Blackburn had accumulated 51 points this year, but it was the goal difference that ultimately sent them down.
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