Sky Bet Championship

Birmingham City 4 (Bellingham 27, Jutkiewicz 61, 90+1, Bela 83)

Leeds United 5 (Costa 15, Harrison 21, Ayling 69, Dallas 84, Harding O.G. 90+5)

Booked: Gardner, Harding, Mrabti, Jutkiewicz, Montero (Birmingham), Nketiah, Casilla, Ayling (Leeds)

Referee: K. Stroud

Venue: St Andrew’s Trillion Trophy Stadium

Attendance: 22,059

Birmingham: Trueman, Pedersen, Harding, Dean, Sunjic, Gardner, Bellingham (Montero 74), Colin, Crowley (Bela 67), Mrabti (Gimenez 74), Jutkiewicz.  Subs not used: Camp, McEachran, Maghoma, Davis.

Leeds: Casilla, Ayling, Cooper, White, Alioski, Phillips, Dallas, Klich (Berardi 86), Harrison, Costa, Nketiah (Roberts 81).  Subs: Meslier, Douglas, Gotts, Stevens, Casey. 

Leeds United ran out 5-4 winners against Birmingham City in a crazy game at St Andrew’s Trillion Stadium to move to the top of the Sky Bet Championship table.

Both sides had early strikes from the edge of the box, Kristian Pedersen’s effort went just wide, with Mateusz Klich’s attempt deflecting wide.

Leeds took the lead in the 15^th minute.  Following a Birmingham corner, where Gary Gardner saw a header well blocked, the Whites counter attacked and Jack Harrison played in Helder Costa and he superbly found the bottom right corner.

Six minutes later Leeds doubled the advantage.  Stuart Dallas’ cross from the right pinged around the Birmingham box before dropping for Jack Harrison and his deflected volley found the back of the net.

Birmingham did get back into the game in the 27^th minute though, Maxime Colin’s low ball was met by 16-year-old Jude Bellingham and his first time strike found the bottom corner.

The goal gave the home side confidence and Kerim Mrabti tried his luck from range, but couldn’t keep his attempt down.

Dan Crowley saw a free kick hit the wall, before seeing two strikes blocked, with Lukas Jutkiewicz then firing over from close range.

In the closing stages of the first half Luke Ayling went close from a corner, with his near post effort going just over, as Leeds took a single goal advantage at the break.

Half time: Birmingham City 1-2 Leeds United

Chances were hard to come by at the beginning of the second half, with Harlee Dean’s 55^th minute deflected strike from distance the only effort of significance.

Six minutes later Birmingham levelled the scores.  From a corner the ball fell to Jutkiewicz following a header across the face of goal and he was on hand to head home.

Leeds hit back in the 69^th minute, when the ball sat up kindly for Luke Ayling to strike from the edge of the box and he hit a wonderful strike into the top left corner.

The Whites almost added a fourth goal from a corner when Phillips’ delivery found the head of Dean and was heading for the Birmingham goal and only a fine stop from Trueman prevented it from finding the net.

Alioski saw a strike saved from a free kick, before Birmingham equalised once again when substitute Jeremie Bela headed home a Kristian Pedersen free kick to make it 3-3 in the 83^rd minute.

However, less than a minute later Leeds regained the lead, when Ayling teed up Stuart Dallas and he found the top right corner.

Birmingham then levelled once again in the first of six minutes of added time, when Jutkiewicz netted his second goal of the match, converting a fine cross by Bela.

However there was even more late drama in the fifth minute of added time.   Substitute Tyler Roberts saw an effort deflect wide for a corner and from the set piece, Leeds continued to press.  Gaetano Berardi’s tackle kept the Leeds attack alive and Ayling fired a ball across goal which was turned in by Birmingham defender Wes Harding, sparking crazy scenes in the away end and saw the Whites edge a nine goal affair.

Full time: Birmingham City 4-5 Leeds United