John Eustace's side battled their way to a victory over Queens Park Rangers, which was their biggest win of the season.
Blues won with first-half goals from two of their London neighbours, including an American defender and a West Ham United left wing-back.
Blues keeper John Ruddy's fine 78th-minute penalty save was the final nail in the coffin for any hopes of a comeback.
After winning four times in five away games, this was a second straight defeat on the road for Queens Park Rangers, while Blues' third win in five lifts them into the top half.
It looked like it was going to happen when Blues took the lead in the fourth minute with a goal that was freakish but inspired.
After a left-wing corner broke to him on the edge of the penalty area, Krystian returned the ball to the box. With his back to goal, Trusty showed great awareness to acrobatically deliver the ball into the six yard box with a flick of his outstretched right leg, and it looped just out of Rangers keeper Seny Dieng's reach and under the bar.
Blues were 2-0 up just before the half-hour mark when, from a sweeping move of first-time passes from Hogan, Mejbri and Bielik, the ball was delivered out to Longelo wide on the left.
When Ruddy touched Ilias Chair's curling free-kick over and saved from Dykes after Tyler Roberts' sidefooted effort from the edge of the box had gone up off Harlee Dean and on to the roof of the net, Queens Park Rangers had their chances.
There were seven bookings in the game and it could have been worse if on-loan Man United teenager Hannibal Mejbri had been sent off in the second half for a challenge on the other side of the field.
Ruddy saved his best for the team when he was awarded a dubious penalty after Longelo was ruled to have raised his foot too high on the ball.
The penalty came at a nice height, Ruddy dived to his right to get both hands on it, and that was the end for former Villa number two Beale.
Jake Clark-Salter and Tyler Roberts were both injured in the first half.
John Eustace is the manager of the city.
John Ruddy is one of the top performers with his experience. The penalty was saved. It shows how important our experienced players are.
The whole performance was very good. After the break, we dug in and got a result.
We just wanted to be committed and competitive in everything we did and it's great to hear the fans get such a good connection." It was great to have so many people in.
At the half-time break, I was thinking about taking him off. I brought him off because he assured me he would be fine. He plays on the edge, that's why he's a good player, but he has to realize the importance of managing the game. A 19-year-old is learning.
Michael Beale is the boss of Queens Park Rangers.
I don't want it to be just one of those nights because everything that could have gone wrong did. I would like it to be the evening.
I don't want to moan about the officials when we weren't as good as we could have been, even though we had the chance from the penalty spot.
I don't want that to be seen as a sign of weakness in the city. There is a recipe against the top teams. The game was ugly for us because of their spirit.
John Eustace made the right decision. The boy is cute. I don't think there's anyone who doesn't think that was a second yellow card for him.
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