91�ȱ�

Birmingham City's resurgence continued as Clayton Donaldon's hat-trick piled more misery on Malky Mackay's Wigan.

The Latics were on their way to an eighth loss in 10 league games when Donaldson nodded in David Cotterill's cross on 67 seconds, before tapping home after Andrew Shinnie hit the post.

James McClean curled one in for Wigan, but Donaldson helped in Demarai Gray's header for his hat-trick.

Blues have now won seven of their 11 league games under boss Gary Rowett.

The St Andrew's side were down in 22nd when Rowett arrived from Burton, but they have lost just twice in the Championship since then and are up to 12th, seven points off the play-offs.

Mackay has been unable to conjure a similar affect at Wigan, who have lost six of their eight games under the Scot and are five points adrift of safety.

The visitors were lacklustre for large parts of the game, but had a mountain to climb when Donaldson, who now has five goals in two games, headed in the opener with barely a minute gone.

His second of the day came when Shinnie's effort rebounded back off the post and the striker was the first to react to turn it in.

The Latics looked uninspired going forward, but McClean, who had already missed a presentable close-range chance, cut inside and bended in a superb shot from outside the area.

Ex-Blues defender Liam Ridgewell was fortunate to stay on the pitch on his Wigan debut after he appeared to elbow David Davis.

And, while McClean and Shaun Maloney forced saves from Darren Randolph in the second half, Donaldson finished off the game by getting a faint touch to Gray's header.

Birmingham manager Gary Rowett:

"Clayton Donaldson always does so much for the team.

"His role is so pivotal to us and he does it brilliantly, working hard, holding the ball up, chasing things. He's a real team player and the way he took all three goals - each very different - was excellent."

Wigan boss Malky Mackay:

"I think we shot ourselves in the foot, giving the ball away in a really poor area and against any team, you're going to be punished. We gave ourselves a mountain to climb with both of the first half goals.

"Then we settled and getting a goal settled us down more. We were in the ascendancy after that and had two or three chances early in the second half. You've got to take those, but we didn't and then the third goal deflated us."