Birmingham continues to rise

Only the top two sides in the second-tier Championship are guaranteed automatic promotion to the lucrative Premier League.

Teenage substitute Redmond's 86th-minute goal left Birmingham two points behind second-placed Southampton and only four adrift of leader West Ham United.

The 17-year-old broke the deadlock with a well-taken volley to deny visitor Pompey, whose survival is threatened by a winding-up order from British tax authorities, what would have been a battling point.

In the first half, Pompey could have gone ahead with Joel Ward forcing an excellent save from Birmingham goalkeeper Boaz Myhill.

But it was not until four minutes from time time that the stalemate was ended when Birmingham, which had hit the post, scored the decisive goal.

Steven Caldwell's diagonal cross was flicked on by Curtis Davies and Redmond volleyed home to extend Birmingham's unbeaten home record this season and make it 12 matches unbeaten in all competitions.