Lloyd Dyer strikes against former club Birmingham City to clinch comeback victory for Burton Albion

Burton Albion 2 Birmingham City 1: Jacques Maghoma deservedly put the away side ahead, but Nigel Clough's half-time team talk triggered the right response from his side

Lloyd Dyer celebrates after scoring for Burton Albion (Getty Images)

Lloyd Dyer was Burton Albion's hero as he grabbed the winner against former loan club Birmingham City to clinch their first Championship win of the season.

Dyer, a boyhood Aston Villa fan, coolly struck home his first goal of the season on 66 minutes as Nigel Clough's side came from behind following Jacques Maghoma's 29th-minute opener to equalise through Marvin Sordell on 50 minutes.

Dyer's goal made it a double against the Blues after he also scored in the same fixture last season.

Maghoma's strike was just reward for the Blues' overall supremacy in the first half.

But it was a different story after the break as Clough's budget side deservedly clawed their way back into the game and equalised through Sordell's first goal of the season.

It was Burton who created the first opening when Tom Naylor's header drifted narrowly over the bar from Matty Palmer's corner.

But in an even opening spell, Birmingham quickly replied with a chance of their own as Maghoma's diagonal pass allowed David Davis a sight of goal.

But the midfielder – who had recovered from a virus that forced him off at half-time last Saturday - could only produce a poor sidefooted shot straight at keeper Stephen Bywater.

The visitors continued to press and a Clayton Donaldson cross was hacked clear by Kyle McFadzean dangerously in front of his own goal.

Burton should have taken the lead on 23 minutes but Sordell's shot from eight yards out hit the legs of keeper David Stockdale after Matthew Lund unselfishly turned and squared to put him in on goal.

Jutkiewicz then worked Bywater with a left-wing cross that forced the goalkeeper to smother at his near post. And it was from the same left-hand side that the visitors engineered their opener.

Blues took the lead when Jutkiewicz headed Donaldson's deep cross back into the danger area and Maghoma volleyed home from close range.

Former Brewers winger Maghoma, who played 172 times for Burton, made it two goals in a week but sensibly opted for a muted celebration.

Burton were a different proposition after the break and their early dominance saw a chance for Matty Palmer, but his falling volley was too close to Stockdale, who smothered comfortably.

Clough's side soon got their reward for their improvement when they equalised.

Sordell unleashed a tremendous drive from 20 yards that beat the outstretched arms of Stockdale.

Burton then claimed a penalty when Luke Murphy went down under challenge from Jonathan Grounds at a corner but the referee waved play on.

Blues broke for the first time in the second period on the hour, and could have regained the lead when Jutkiewicz met Donaldson's cross with a firm header from point-blank range, but it flew straight at Bywater.

The lively Donaldson was causing problems every time Birmingham attacked and his acrobatic overhead kick hit the post when Burton failed to clear a corner.

But Burton's high-tempo start to the second half was further rewarded when they took the lead with well-crafted goal from Dyer.

The former Birmingham loanee kept his cool to slot home after Lucas Akins's backheel put him in on goal.

Cheikh N'doye was denied an equaliser on 82 when his towering header was met by a diving save from Bywater.

Teams

Burton (3-5-1-1): Bywater; Naylor, McFadzean, Buxton; Akins, Lund (Varney 80), Murphy, Palmer (McCrory 70), Dyer; Irvine; Sordell.

Subs not used: Ripley, Flanagan, Fox, Barker, Sbarra.

Birmingham (4-4-2): Stockdale; Nsue, Morrison, Roberts, Grounds; Davis, Gardner (Gleeson 82), N'doye, Maghoma; Jutkiewicz (Vassell 64), Donaldson.

Subs not used: Kuszczak (gk), Kieftenbeld, Cotterill, Dacres-Cogley, Robinson.