Wolves boss Mick McCarthy admitted it was as bad as he and his team have felt after a late Kevin Phillips brace denied them victory in this afternoon's derby at St Andrew's.

Kevin Doyle's poachers goal three minutes before half time had nudged Wolves in front in a tightly contested derby and Birmingham were struggling to get back into it until the arrival of Phillips.

But the striker, so often Wolves' nemesis, delivered the goods yet again to not only equalise but also notch a winner five minutes from time to leave the Molineux Men with the undeserved reward of absolutely nothing for their endeavours.

"That was as disappointed as I've seen the lads in the dressing room afterwards this season and myself included," said Mick.

"It was gut-wrenching at the end of it.

"It's a local derby, we had good support and we played well and when that happens and you don't get anything you feel a little hard done-by.

"And it does become harder to pick everybody up because we didn't get what we deserved.

"They're a great bunch of lads who give absolutely everything and I'm in there being critical afterwards and that's difficult because there was no lack of effort or determination out there.

"But if you do make mistakes you get punished.

"It's a great game but it can also be a very cruel game."

The boss was pleased with the way the team grew into the contest having survived an early Blues siege, but felt his players just needed to "manage the game" better in seeing it out.

"We conceded a couple of poor goals from our point of view although I'm sure Birmingham will think they were good ones," he added.

"We probably needed a second goal in that spell after half time when we were on top and had a couple of good breaks but it didn't come.

"You know then that if you don't get a second goal they were going to have a chance of some sort and we put pressure on ourselves by giving the ball away.

"We didn't take any of the opportunities and that's what has cost us.

"Having weathered the storm in the first ten minutes of the game I thought we played well and certainly in the second half.

"They started brilliantly but after we'd done that then we've played very well.

"At that stage I felt we were the better team and so to lose from there hurts even more.

"It was the perfect away performance except for the last ten minutes and we've ended up losing a game that we shouldn't have done.

"Maybe it's just that little bit of experience in managing the game and seeing it out and you can only get that by going through it."

If there was a positive cause for optimism it was in the manner of Wolves' performance, which turned full circle from the misery of the midweek FA Cup exit at Crystal Palace.

And if the players do need lifting, the arrival of Tottenham on Wednesday night should provide ample motivation.

"I didn't doubt we'd get a response to Crystal Palace," said the boss.

"That was just a one-off and as disappointing as it was I don't think that was a reflection on me or my team.

"It was horrible and nobody enjoyed it but it wasn't what me or the team or Wolverhampton Wanderers are about.

"Our performance today was more like us in terms of the way we have played with effort and endeavour and indeed a bit of quality.

"Fortunately we've got a big game coming up on Wednesday against Spurs at home so that's all the motivation we need to get out there again."