Valiant Torquay so close
Steve Bruce wore the look of man who had just been handed a get out of jail free card after Birmingham survived an FA Cup third round scare from minnows Torquay at Plainmoor. The Telegraph
Torquay 0 - 0 Birmingham
Torquay United must have wondered if it was going to be their day as a sellout 6,104 crowd packed into their tiny Plainmoor ground on the self-styled, if freezing English Riviera. Leroy Rosenior's League Two basement dwellers - 71 places below Premiership strugglers Birmingham in the league structure - gave their visitors an almighty fright. The Observer
Taylor saves Blues from joining list of fall guys
Steve Bruce breathed a sigh of relief as his Birmingham City side escaped from Plainmoor with a 0-0 draw and a third-round replay a week on Tuesday. Independent
Torquay unlucky not to banish Blues
Humiliation might have been narrowly avoided, but Birmingham were still humbled yesterday as they departed Devon grateful for a goalless draw at Torquay. The Times