Video: Birmingham City boss 'makes no apologies' for taking advantage of soft goals and red cards in win over Sheffield Wednesday

And that was how Birmingham City manager Steve Cotterill felt after his side's 3-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough, during which they benefited from more than a little good fortune.

The Blues went in front when Frederico Venancio failed to control a cross and chested the ball at goal when Joe Wildsmith was well-placed to comfortably collect. David Davis nipped in to open the scoring after eight minutes.

Then Jota's shot from distance slipped through the arms and then the legs of Wildsmith for the visitors to double the lead.

Marco Matias was controversially sent off after an apparent altercation with Cohen Bramall, with seven minutes of the first half remaining and Jota's second from close range made it 3-0 before the break.

While Joao pulled one back soon after the restart, Wednesday's challenge effectively ended when Daniel Pudil was given a second yellow card for a foul on Maxime Colin, who certainly made the most of very little, if any, contact.

Cotterill, though, was unapologetic and felt his side deserved any luck they might have got, for their hard work.

"The first goal is always huge in a game," he said. "It was important to get the first goal. It gives you that bit of belief.

"We knew they would be a tough nut to crack because they've just had four clean sheets in a row. We worked hard for our goals and they deservedly came.

"I know we got on through some fortune. It's a real wet day and it slipped through the goalkeeper's hands but we have had those things happen to us so we are not going to make any apologies for any soft goals or any of the sendings off because it's all happened in the four months I've been here.

"So, we are pleased with our three points, quietly, humbly and we will just get on the bus and go home and get back to training tomorrow."

Cotterill said he was glad his team didn't rub salt into the wounds towards the end against Wednesday's nine men. Rather than push forward and run the Owls raged, they passed the ball along the back line for much of the latter stages of the game.

"There can be a bit of respect players have for each other these days," the Blues boss said. "I'd be a bit disappointed if our team started taking the mickey, especially when they went down to nine men.

"We played the game, tried to tire them out even more than probably they would have been with ten men.

"We've had some things go against us this season, the sending offs that we've had, maybe in the second half of the season those things are going to be on our side.

"We don't want anyone sent off. The second one was a second booking so there's nothing he can do about that. The first one I haven't really seen it but someone said there was a head butt involved ... I don't know if that was true or not."