BOSS Sam Allardyce saw two defensive mistakes prove costly as Rovers lost on their travels once again.

The visitors found themselves two goals down after 47 minutes, and although Ryan Nelsen pulled a goal back with twenty minutes to go to set up a dramatic ending to the game it was too little too late for Rovers.

"We weren't as good as we have been unfortunately," said a disappointed Allardyce after the game.

"It is down to giving two very poor goals away, that made the uphill battle too much for us in the end, even though we showed a spirited fightback, got ourselves back in the game and nearly nicked a draw at the end."

After a bright opening from Rovers, Birmingham scored from their first corner kick of the game, Cameron Jerome firing home from close-range after Rovers failed to clear their lines.

Then moments into the second half, Stephen Carr got round the back of the Rovers back line to feed Jerome for his second.

"We lost because of two silly mistakes," said the Rovers boss. "You can't come away from home and make those mistakes.

"Certainly against a Birmingham side who are the top form team over the last seven games.

"We knew we couldn't come here and gift them something but that is exactly what we did unfortunately.

"From there on it is the uphill battle and one that we didn't manage to get anything out of.

"Once we got the one we made them a little nervous, but we needed a bit more quality in the final third but we didn't find that quality with a clearcut chance apart from the corner that Niko headed that was cleared off the line when it looked like it was going in."