Dobbie in as Albion make changes (From The Argus)

Dobbie in as Albion make changes

4:51pm Saturday 29th September 2012 in Sport By Brian Owen

Albion have made three changes – and handed Stephen Dobbie a first start – as they face Birmingham today.

Two of the changes see the Seagulls replace players who left last week’s win at Millwall early through injury.

Dobbie gets a full debut for the Seagulls in place of top scorer Craig Mackail-Smith (hamstring).

Inigo Calderon  is handed a first start of the season at right-back in place of Bruno (groin).

Andrea Orlandi is also ruled out by illness so former Birmingham midfielder Gary Dicker returns.

Another St Andrew’s old boy, Marcos Painter, comes on to the subs’ bench.

Birmingham have injury problems in defence so give a debut to experienced left-back Paul Robinson, who was signed out of free agency on a short-term deal recently.

Hayden Mullins and Marlon King have failed to fully recover from illness which affected them in midweek and are only on the bench.

Blues will be keen to ease the bad memories of last Saturday’s 5-0 home mauling by Barnsley while Albion chase a sixth successive win.

Albion: Kuszczak; Calderon, Greer, El-Abd, Bridge; Bridcutt, Dicker, Hammond; Buckley, Barnes, Dobbie. Subs: Ankergren, Painter, Dunk, Lopez, Harley, LuaLua, Agdestein.

Birmingham: Butland, Packwood, Davies, Caldwell, Robinson; Burke, Spector, Fahey, Elliott, Lovenkrands; Lita. Subs: Doyle, Ambrose, Zigic, Redmond, Hancox, Mullins, King.

Ref: Oliver Langford (West Midlands).