AMSTERDAM – Jonathan Spector returned from a game on the Birmingham City treatment table on Tuesday night, working a solid shift in central defense as the slumping relegation battlers suffered a tough 1-0 home loss to Wigan.
The Brums handyman notched four clearances and a last-ditch saving tackle, as well as providing several accurate long balls to teammates. With his team striving for the equalizer in the waning moment, Spector also participated in a pair of threatening attacks.
Shortly after added time began, the sometime US international got to the end of a free kick, only to nod over from 10 yards. In the fifth and final minute of stoppage, Spector knocked down another restart for Hayden Mullins to force a good reaction save from Wigan netminder Scott Carson.
The loss, Birmingham's fifth in a row, kept them from climbing out of the danger zone with the end of the season rapidly approaching. The St. Andrews crew will now visit Tim Ream's Bolton on Saturday's final round of the Championship season standing one point from safety with three clubs close enough to pass.
