Jack Marriott gives Wrexham early lead but £10m signing Jay Stansfield levels for Blues and later heads hosts ahead
Tomoki Iwata adds classy third but Blues finish with 10 men after Krystian Bielik red card
Dragons owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, while NFL legend Tom Brady is minority owner at Blues
Wrexham remain top of League One, seeking third successive promotion, but win moves Birmingham second
Birmingham City 1-1 Wrexham
League One Manager of the Month Phil Parkinson is deep in discussion with his backroom staff.
He looks frustrated. His side were the better for the opening 10 minutes but have been second-best for the past 25.
Paul Mullin is eight feet away from him on the bench. Not his time yet, though, not this soon.
Birmingham City 1-1 Wrexham
25 January, 2025... that's when these two are due to meet next. I know we're all already wondering.
Blues are flinging in some crosses from the left but Wrexham are dealing well with the aerial stuff... for now.
Alfie May gets a sniff of goal but curls pretty tamely down the middle of Arthur Okonkwo's goal. He clutches the ball gratefully this time.
Image source, Getty ImagesBirmingham City 1-1 Wrexham
Chris Wathan
BBC Sport Wales at St Andrew's
This is the first time Wrexham have been pegged back in the league after taking the lead this season.
In fact, it's the first time they've conceded in six hours of League One action after a late Sam Vokes consolation for Wycombe on the opening day of the campaign.
Having looked like they embraced the atmosphere with their aggressive press early on, it's Birmingham now who are enjoying themselves and forcing errors.
Birmingham City 1-1 Wrexham
Richard Wilford
BBC Radio WM commentator
This is a properly competitive game of football so far between two teams that are going to be there or thereabouts this season.
Birmingham City 1-1 Wrexham
Some slick approach play again from Blues and they win a corner. They don't make much of it but the ball comes out to Taylor Gardner-Hickman who stoops but can only volley well over Arthur Okonkwo's bar from 20-odd yards out.
The Wrexham keeper will feel he could have done better with that low drive from Paik Seung-Ho in the build-up to the goal and will be desperate to make amends.
Birmingham City 1-1 Wrexham
Ged Scott
BBC Sport at St Andrew's
There are roars. And there are Blues roars.
And then there are Jay Stansfield roars.
My wife and youngest son keep telling me I've got a bit of a hearing problem.
Well I heard that one all right.
An almost ear-splitting noise as Stansfield darts onto that rebound like an Olympic sprinter leaving the blocks - and buries it in the corner.
That's what they paid £10m for!
Image source, Getty ImagesBirmingham City 1-1 Wrexham
End-to-end stuff in a bubbling atmosphere, a couple of goals and we're only halfway through the first half.
Or at the end of the first quarter, if we're David Beckham trying to explain proceedings to Tom Brady.
Blues are the ones looking more confident now and they have dominated time of possession in the past 10 minutes - that's a stat which translates no matter which shaped balls you play with!
Birmingham City 1-1 Wrexham
Bet Ryan Reynolds is the recipient of this pic...
Although Rob McElhenney won't be smiling as broadly now as he was a few minutes back.
Image source, Getty ImagesBirmingham City 1-1 Wrexham
Waynne Phillips
Former Wrexham player on BBC Radio Wales
GAME ON!
It's a brilliant finish. What all good strikers do is they follow on in front of goal. There was work to do for Jay Stansfield but he's finished it brilliantly.
A great response and in the space of seconds, that's how quickly games can turn.
Birmingham were starting to ask a few more questions and you felt if they could get it right...
Birmingham City 1-1 Wrexham
Ian Clarkson
Ex-Birmingham captain on BBC Radio WM
That’s a fantastic goal from our first bit of decent play, really. Stansfield reacted quickest and prodded past the keeper.
It’s a well-worked goal and much needed. To be honest we didn’t look like we were going to get that. It's a great finish.
Jay Stansfield (22 mins)
There you go... this is what the fuss is all about America!
What an advert for League One.
Blues are level as Jay Stansfield pounces to slam home the rebound after Arthur Okonkwo could only parry a low shot from just outside the box from Alfie May.
A fox in the box goal, that, and Tom Brady loved it.
St Andrew's is rocking again, and maybe so is Jay Stansfield.
Birmingham City 0-1 Wrexham
A heavy touch from Wrexham frontman Ollie Palmer costs him a chance of a run at goal after being freed down the left channel by James McClean.
Blues have grown into the game but Wrexham pose a threat whenever they get the ball out wide.
Birmingham City 0-1 Wrexham
Waynne Phillips
Former Wrexham player on BBC Radio Wales
It's been a good 15 minutes for Wrexham. An excellent one in fact.
Birmingham are not causing too many problems.
Wrexham look confident. They come here unbeaten in four or five league games, you're going to be confident. They are playing to the max these players and long may that continue.
Birmingham City 0-1 Wrexham
A neat corner routine from Birmingham sees Alex Cochrane slide the ball into the near post and the feet of Alfie May to flick into the path of Paik Seung-Ho who fires low past the base of Arthur Okonkwo's post.
A foot to the left and that might have crept in.
Birmingham City 0-1 Wrexham
Richard Wilford
BBC Radio WM commentator
That was such a clever corner played short along the deck by Cochrane and if that’s just inside the post, I don’t think Okonkwo is getting anywhere near it.
Birmingham City 0-1 Wrexham
Ged Scott
BBC Sport at St Andrew's
Wow! You sure can't beat a quick goal to set the pulses racing.
A few give-away pumped fists from the away section in the St Andrew's pressbox after just two minutes and 45 seconds as the Blues marking at that first Wrexham corner fails and Jack Marriott hooks it in on the half volley.
It shuts up the home fans on the Tilton, who had been serenading Wrexham with something unpleasant - and created pandemonium in the away corner.
Gary Neville will no doubt be discussing the marking with his two chums in that private box.
Birmingham City 0-1 Wrexham
Wrexham have a lot of joy from crosses and set-pieces and another deep cross from the right eventually finds the head of Ollie Palmer just beyond the far post - a timely glance off the head of a defender sends the ball off his head and behind for a goal-kick.
Birmingham City 0-1 Wrexham
Wrexham keeper Arthur Okonkwo is quick off his line to slide and gather an over-hit pass through the visitors' defence before Jay Stansfield is able to pounce.
He scored 13 goals last season on loan - how much of his transfer fee would he repay with a couple tonight?
Birmingham City 0-1 Wrexham
"Right, Tom, tell the lads to get a free-kick about 25 yards out and send me on, yeah?"
Image source, Getty ImagesBirmingham City 0-1 Wrexham
Some nervy Blues fans as their side pass it around at the back, including keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell.
High pressing and possession-football in your own box are not a recipe for a comfortable watch.
Jay Stansfield scored his first Blues goal since re-signing on deadline day for £10m
Birmingham City sent out a stark 'Welcome to St Andrew's' message to not only Wrexham but the whole of League One as they came from behind in dazzling style to win the 'Hollywood derby'.
Their £10m deadline day signing Jay Stansfield scored his first two goals since returning to the club and Tomoki Iwata netted on his English league debut as the expensively-refurbished Blues recovered from the shock of Jack Marriott's early opener for Wrexham.
That was more than enough for Blues co-owner Tom Brady to claim the bragging rights over Hollywood A-lister Ryan Reynolds, who was back home in the United States but keeping in touch with events in England's second city via his Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney.
In a noisy, near-capacity crowd of 27,980 that turned the stadium into a cauldron, England greats David Beckham and Gary Neville also braved the Birmingham traffic to be part of American football legend Brady's entourage in a private box.
Tom Brady and David Beckham both flew in to Birmingham for the game
And, just like the big television audience watching at home, they could not fail but to have been impressed by the way Chris Davies' Blues turned potential defeat into such an impressive victory.
Promoted Wrexham remain top of League One - but they got a bit of a rude awakening as unbeaten Blues, relegated in May, handed Phil Parkinson's side their first defeat - on a night marred only by home captain Krystian Bielik's late red card.
It was a dream start for Wrexham when they went in front from their first corner after just two minutes and 45 seconds.
Blues left-back Alex Cochrane lost his man from Eoghan O'Connell's right-wing corner and Marriott was left unattended eight yards out to swivel and hit a right-foot half-volley, which was deflected into the roof of the net.
But Blues were level on 22 minutes when top scorer Alfie May tried his luck from the edge of the box with a powerful low shot, Wrexham keeper Arthur Okonkwo could only parry and Stansfield darted in to bury the rebound in the corner.
Jack Marriott's opener was his fourth goal of the season - and his third in as many games
Seven minutes into the second half, Blues' comeback was complete when Cochrane atoned for his earlier lapse as he curled over a cross from the left and Stansfield found space at the far post to guide home a header past the leaden-footed Okonkwo.
A further seven minutes later, Blues were two goals clear when Paik Seung-ho fed Japanese midfielder Iwata, who fired home a low, swerving shot from 25 yards which found the bottom right corner.
It could have been more - but instead things heated up close to the centre circle when tempers flared after a coming-together between Cochrane and Wrexham substitute Paul Mullin.
That sparked a large brawl involving all 20 outfield players, clearly enjoyed by the watching Brady.
James McClean was to the fore, earning one of the five bookings dished out by referee Scott Oldham, which also included Bielik, Blues sub Keshi Anderson and Wrexham subs Mullin and Andy Cannon.
When Blues skipper Bielik then went in late on Cannon, he was sent off for a second yellow card.
But the damage was already done to well beaten Wrexham by a Blues side who go second, level with their opponents and also third-placed Charlton Athletic, all on 13 points.
Five players were booked during the late melee
Blues now head to Rotherham United on Saturday, when Wrexham host Crawley Town.
Birmingham City manager Chris Davies told BBC Radio WM:
"All the stuff around the game is good profile for the club and good for other people but, for me, this was no different to Rotherham away at the weekend.
"It was a very difficult start for us conceding so early, but full credit to the players for showing the character they did and behaving like it hadn't even happened.
"We played some really good stuff and got into some good areas and Jay Stansfield got two poachers' goals. The first was pure instinct following a rebound - but that's what all the best finishers do and and full credit to Alex Cochrane for setting up his second.
"That third goal was so important, giving us that two-goal cushion. But Krystian will be annoyed with himself for getting sent off. We've got a good squad for a reason though - and it's a chance for someone else to step into his place."
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 13 |
| |
| 2 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 13 |
| |
| 3 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 13 |
| |
| 4 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 12 |
| |
| 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 11 |
| |
| 6 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 10 |
| |
| 7 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 10 |
| |
| 8 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 10 | -1 | 8 |
| |
| 9 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| |
| 10 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 7 |
| |
| 11 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| |
| 12 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 7 |
| |
| 13 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | -2 | 7 |
| |
| 14 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | -4 | 7 |
| |
| 15 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| |
| 16 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| |
| 17 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 7 | -2 | 6 |
| |
| 18 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 6 | -1 | 5 |
| |
| 19 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 12 | -3 | 5 |
| |
| 20 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 8 | -1 | 4 |
| |
| 21 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 9 | -7 | 4 |
| |
| 22 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 8 | -5 | 3 |
| |
| 23 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 10 | -6 | 3 |
| |
| 24 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 11 | -6 | 1 |
|
Manager: Chris Davies
Formation: 3 - 4 - 2 - 1
Manager: Phil Parkinson
Formation: 5 - 3 - 2
Manager: Chris Davies
Formation: 3 - 4 - 2 - 1
Manager: Phil Parkinson
Formation: 5 - 3 - 2
League One
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Birmingham City have lost just one of their prior four league games against Wrexham (W2 D1), winning the last meeting between these two sides in the EFL 5-2 in February 1995.
Wrexham have won just one of their last six away league games against sides from the West Midlands (D1 L4), conceding 2+ goals in four of those outings.
Birmingham City are unbeaten in their last eight league games (W5 D3), their longest run without defeat since February 2020 (10 in a row).
Wrexham have won four of their first five games in League One this season (D1); their most at this stage of a campaign in the top four tiers since 1961-62 (also W4).
