Defender Paul Caddis bagged himself a brace as Birmingham City recorded a comfortable 3-0 victory over Barnsley at Oakwell in the Championship this afternoon.

The 25-year-old smashed home the opening goal on 13 minutes, before doubling the Blues' advantage from the penalty spot shortly after.

Nikola Zigic added a third shortly before half time to give Lee Clark's men what proved an unassailable lead at the break.

The visitors started the brighter and saw their dominance rewarded on 13 minutes, when the Scot unleashed a fierce effort past former Birmingham goalkeeper Jack Butland.

Zigic was then adjudged to have been fouled inside the area, as Caddis stepped up and secured his and team's second of the afternoon from 12 yards.

Play was temporarily halted due to a malfunctioning floodlight but the fluidity of Birmingham's attack never dimmed and it was soon three.

Having won the penalty that enabled Clark's charges to establish daylight over the Tykes, the Serbian then started and finished the attack that led to the team's third.

Barnsley thought that they had reduced the deficit midway through the second half when Marcus Pedersen turned home Tom Kennedy's effort, but the goal was chalked off for offside.

It would prove as close as the hosts would come to scoring as the West Midlands outfit held out for a comfortable victory and move further clear of the relegation zone in England's second tier.