BRAVE Brentford suffered Carling Cup heartbreak as they lost to Birmingham City in a nail-biting penalty shootout.

Mickey Spillane and Craig Woodman's misses proved costly as the Blues went through 4-3 on spot-kicks after the game ended 1-1 after extra-time.

The visitors were minutes away from a place in the quarter-finals through Sam Wood's second-half strike, only for Kevin Phillips to score in stoppage-time to force the added 30.

League One Bees gave as good as they got in the first-half against their Premier League hosts, but had Richard Lee to thank for keeping the game goalless when he smothered Stuart Parnaby's point-black effort.

However, the visitors went close themselves moments later when Myles Weston's rasping drive was turned around the post by Maik Taylor.

Craig Gardner fired straight at Lee after the interval, while Lee Bowyer steered one just wide.

At the other end, Liam Ridgewell almost put through his own net after Charlie MacDonald's teasing cross, and Spillane saw a volley cleared off the line.

But it was the visitors who took a shock lead on 65 minutes.

Weston's cross was touched back by MacDonald, and Wood lashed the ball past Taylor from 12 yards to send the 3,000 away fans mental.

Birmingham pushed for a leveller, with Gardner and sub Nikola Zigic going close, but it was Brentford who almost added to their lead when Woodman's curling free-kick hit the bar.

However, disaster struck in stoppage-time when Ridgewell's centre was slotted past Lee by Phillips to break Brentford's hearts.

Blues should've won it in extra-time, only for Lee to keep out Zigic's header, while sub Lewis Grabban stung the hands of Taylor as the game headed of penalties.

Kevin O'Connor, David Hunt and Grabban all converted, but Spillane and Woodman fluffed their lines as Alex McLeish's men won it 4-3.

BEES: Lee, Spillane, Osborne, Legge, Woodman, Wood, O'Connor, Bean, Weston (Simpson 83), MacDonald (Hunt 101), Alexander (Grabban 75).

Subs (not used): Royce, Balkestein, McCracken, Diagouraga.

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