ROVERS missed out on a place in Europe after crashing 4-1 at Birmingham City.

It was a day of disappointment for both sides as results elsewhere meant relegation for the midland's club, but was a game to forget for Mark Hughes' side.

An uncharacteristic howler from Brad Friedel gifted David Murphy a 32nd minute lead, the Rovers 'keeper somehow let Murphy's 25-yard strike slip between his legs and into the back of the net.

Rovers hit back straight after the restart when Morten Gamst Pedersen drove home after neat work from Roberts and Santa Cruz.

But that was as good as it got for Rovers as poor defending allowed Cameron Jerome to score twice and a late Muamba header only confounded Rovers' misery on a day that all went wrong.

Before the game it was no surprise that for the fifth game running Mark Hughes named an unchanged starting eleven. The fit again duo of David Dunn and Benni McCarthy having to settle for places on the substitute's bench.

Birmingham had to make a late change from the published team sheet, James McFadden picking up an injury in the warm-up, but his replacement Mauro Zarate almost made an immediate impression. The Argentinean collected the ball on the left of midfield, exchanged passes with Olivier Kapo on the edge of the area before lashing an effort at goal. Thankfully for the travelling Rovers fans the ball flashed past Brad Friedel's far post.

On seven minutes Rovers fashioned a chance but it was helped in no small part by a poorly placed pass from Muamba, Pedersen nipped in to thread the ball to Roque Santa Cruz but from an increasingly tight angle he was unable to beat Maik Taylor.

As you would expect, there was a raw atmosphere to proceedings, the home fans making a racket in a bid to urge their team on, but that didn't replicate itself on the pitch as there was little to excite.

Stephen Warnock curled an effort over the bar after neat build-up play from Pedersen and Vogel, whilst at the other end Kapo glanced a Sebastian Larsson centre harmlessly wide.

But just past the half hour point the mood in the ground changed as Birmingham took the lead. Full back David Murphy was allowed far too much space on the left to run at the Rovers defence, and as they backed further and further away, the former Hibernian defender took the opportunity for a shot at goal, Brad Friedel had the 25-yard effort covered all the way but somehow the ball slipped out of his grasp, through his legs and into the back of the net to send the home fans delirious.

Three minutes later the American stopper went some way to redeeming himself when he made a smart save to deny Kapo at the near post.

Rovers had very few in the way of clear-cut chances in a disappointing first-half display, David Bentley fed Brett Emerton down the right, Maik Taylor, rushing off his line, was rounded, but Stephen Kelly cleared the ball off the line.

Whatever was said at the half-time team talk by Mark Hughes had an immediate effect as Rovers levelled just three minutes after the restart. Former Rover Damien Johnson was caught on the ball by Johann Vogel, he slipped it in to Roberts, Taylor saved his effort but Roberts found Santa Cruz with the lose ball who in turn unselfishly fed Morten Gamst Pedersen and he made no mistake from the corner of the six yard box.

Olivier Kapo fired narrowly wide from the left, whilst Roque Santa Cruz failed to add to his 23-goal tally when he headed over Pedersen's centre.

But suddenly goals at other grounds meant that there was little to play for, Reading had built on their lead against Derby, whilst Aston Villa had taken the lead at Upton Park. That prompted chants of "sack the board" from sections of the St. Andrews crowd.

A stunning run from Brett Emerton deserved more but Jason Roberts slipped as he looked to attack the Australian's cut-back.

Mark Hughes made a double substitution in bringing on David Dunn and Tugay, but it was Alex McLeish's switch that made the difference - eventually.

Just sixty seconds after his introduction Cameron Jerome was all of three yards out when he collected David Murphy's pass, but somehow the former Cardiff City striker blazed horribly over the crossbar.

But he wasn't down for long, when just a minute later Larsson collected a throw from the far side and sent a ball into the centre for Jerome, criminally unmarked, to sweep the ball past Friedel and into the back of the net.

Elsewhere a Danny Murphy goal ensured that it would be Fulham who would remain in the Premier League next season, that prompted more angry reactions from the home fans.

The home side then had Maik Taylor to thank for three saves in the space of seven minutes, first he denied David Bentley at the near post after a fine run from the England man, then from a corner kick, Samba saw his header palmed away, before Taylor denied Emerton on the follow-up.

But from that Rovers attack it was Birmingham who went on to score, the ball was quickly played down the left flank and McSheffrey fed a ball through to Jerome, he looked offside, nothing was given, but his touch was excellent before driving the ball home.

It got worse for Rovers as word filtered through that West Ham had levelled against Aston Villa, meaning that had Rovers won then a place in Europe was to be theirs.

With Rovers beaten the final goal of the game really didn't make much difference, Mehdi Nafti's clever ball saw Fabrice Muamba run unchallenged to head past Friedel.

The home fans registered just enough energy to celebrate the goal, but it was far too late to rescue their season. For Rovers, it is a case of missed opportunities and a summer regretting what might have been.

BIRMINGHAM: Taylor, Murphy, Kelly, Jaidi, Ridgewell, Muamba, Larsson, Johnson (c) (sub Nafti 63 mins), Kapo (sub McSheffrey 87 mins), Forssell (sub Jerome 69 mins), Zarate.

Subs not used: Doyle, Parnaby.

ROVERS: Friedel, Reid, Samba, Nelsen (c), Warnock (sub McCarthy 81 mins), Bentley, Emerton, Vogel (sub Dunn 67 mins), Pedersen (sub Tugay 67 mins), Santa Cruz, Roberts.

Subs not used: Brown (GK), Khizanishvili.

Booked: Johnson, Larsson, Ridgewell (Birmingham), Santa Cruz (Rovers).