Birmingham City are on course for their first away points of the Championship season as they lead 10-man Brentford 1-0 at the break at Griffin Park.

The home side started the game with plenty of possession, but they fell behind and were reduced to 10 men in the 16th minute as Clayton Donaldson was brought down by Tony Craig in the box.

Craig was given a straight red card and a penalty was awarded to Lee Clark side's, which Paul Caddis duly dispatched as he sent David Button the wrong way.

Birmingham should have doubled their lead when David Cotterill raided down the right and whipped in a dangerous cross for Wes Thomas to head at goal, but the forward could only guide his effort over.

The Blues continued to dominate and Button was forced into an reflex stop to keep his side in the game, as he denied Lee Novak from close range from Cotterill's cross into the box.