Nigel Clough made four changes to the side that lost to Ipswich on Friday. In came Akins, Varney, Christensen and McFadzean to replace Sordell, Mousinho, Kightly and Woodrow.
In a game that was labelled 'must win' for both sides before kick off it was Birmingham that had the first real opportunity and it took just four minutes. A long ball up field wasn't dealt with by the Albion back three and was mis-punched by Jon McLaughlin as the ball fell kindly to striker Lukas Jutkiewicz on the edge of the box but he looped it wide of the empty net.Lloyd Dyer scored against Birmingham in the reverse fixture and nearly had his second goal against this Blues this season when Luke Murphy slipped the left winger through on goal but his low shot was well blocked by Ryan Shotton 14 minutes in.
Jon McLaughlin suffered a shoulder injury half an hour into the game after challenging for the ball with David Davis. Albion's number one wasn't able to carry on and was soon replaced by Stephen Bywater between the sticks.
Dyer DID score his second goal against Birmingham this season just after the half hour mark! Lucas Akins drove with the ball on the break away before cutting inside and letting off a shot which wasn't held by Tomasz Kuszczak before Luke Varney's shot was blocked but the ball fell kindly to Lloyd Dyer who tapped into an empty net and gave the Brewers the lead.
HT: Birmingham City 0-1 Burton Albion FC
Neither team ended with the same goal keeper as the home side changed theirs at the break. Former Albion man Adam Legzdins replaced Tomasz Kuszczak.
Burton Albion's survival hopes took an extra boost on 52 minutes when Lasse Christensen delivered a corner from the right which was met by Ben Turner before being turned home by Lucas Akins to score his 5th goal of the season, and his second in as many games.
Luke Varney is yet to score for the Brewers but he nearly got off the mark midway into the second half as he broke into the box and let off a left-footed shot under the challenge from the defender but it cannoned back off the post and the home defence managed to clear.
A third goal looked like it was coming for the Brewers as Lucas Akins got to the byline before pulling it back to Jackson Irvine but his curling effort had too much height to trouble Adam Legzdins.
The closest Birmingham came to scoring a goal was when Kerim Frei teed up a free kick some 25 yards out but his dipping effort flew just over Stephen Bywater's crossbar.
FT: Birmingham City 0-2 Burton Albion FC
Ash's man of the match: John Brayford