Adam Armstrong stood ten yards from an empty net in the 87th minute and lifted the ball over the bar. That miss preserved Birmingham's unbeaten Championship start and denied Wolves the win their late pressure had threatened to earn.

It was a finish unworthy of one of the Football League's most reliable goalscorers, but it summed up an afternoon in which quality and chaos competed on equal terms at St Andrew's. The 2-2 scoreline felt fair, even if neither manager was entirely satisfied with how it arrived.

Wolves set the tempo, then gift it back

Fer López settled any derby-day nerves inside three minutes, side-footing Rodrigo Gomes's right-wing cross into the near post for his third goal of the season. Wolves looked sharp and purposeful, and in the 19th minute Gomes had a chance to double the lead, only for James Beadle to save his dinked effort after Raúl Jiménez won the ball from a sluggish Christoph Klarer.

Birmingham's equaliser arrived in controversy. Jay Stansfield brought down Patrick Roberts's chip and hammered home, but Wolves protested that a handball preceded the finish. Referee and assistants waved play on, and César Peixoto's complaints to the fourth official achieved nothing. "If the referee doesn't see it, then what can you do?" Stansfield said afterwards.

Wolves regained the lead through Ladislav Krejci, the Czechia captain heading André's flick-on from Hugo Bueno's corner with such force that Beadle had no answer. At 2-1, Peixoto's side appeared to be heading for three points they would have welcomed after a 4-2 defeat at West Ham earlier in the week.

Tchatchoua's howler changes everything

What followed will trouble Jackson Tchatchoua for some time. The Cameroon right-back, under no pressure whatsoever, attempted to turn a long diagonal from Phil Neumann back towards goalkeeper José Sá. Instead the ball looped wide and over Sá, nestling in the net to make it 2-2. Birmingham's fans did not hold back, and the noise inside St Andrew's shifted entirely.

That moment transformed the game's momentum. Birmingham dominated the second half, pressing higher and with more conviction, while Wolves' defensive fragility, the same fragility that has produced ten goals conceded in their opening matches, resurfaced. Only Burnley, who were relegated from the Premier League alongside Wolves last season, have let in more goals in the Championship this term.

Armstrong's defining moment falls flat

For all Birmingham's second-half authority, Wolves nearly stole it. López slid a pass into Armstrong's path deep into stoppage time, and the striker found himself with the goal at his mercy. He struck the ball cleanly but sent it over the bar. The travelling supporters fell silent; the home end erupted.

Birmingham manager Chris Davies took satisfaction from his side's resilience. "I'll always be content when the players put in that heart and spirit," he said. "When you look at the quality of their team, I'll be astonished if they're not in the top four. Second half, we put them to the sword."

Peixoto used his post-match platform to call for video assistant referees to be introduced to the Championship, citing both the Stansfield incident and what he described as unpunished grappling at corners, despite managers being told in a pre-season meeting with PGMOL that such conduct would be penalised. "I don't know why they don't have VAR in the Championship," he said. "It's very important to help the referees to take the best decisions."

Where both clubs stand

Birmingham's unbeaten run continues, and Birmingham chair Tom Wagner, attending his first match at St Andrew's since suffering a stroke in February, watched his side demonstrate the kind of character that sustains promotion challenges through the winter months. Davies has built a team that refuses to let leads kill them off.

Wolves, meanwhile, retain much of their squad from the top flight and possess the individual quality to cause any side in this division problems on their day. Yet the defensive record demands urgent attention. Retaining Premier League players does not automatically produce Championship promotion, as Peixoto acknowledged without saying so directly. The draw leaves them chasing the automatic places rather than sitting inside them.

Frequently asked

What was the score in the Birmingham vs Wolves Championship derby?
The match ended 2-2. Wolves scored through Fer López and Ladislav Krejci, while Birmingham equalised twice, the second time via a Jackson Tchatchoua own goal.
What happened with Adam Armstrong's late chance for Wolves?
Armstrong was played in by Fer López in the 87th minute with the goal at his mercy from ten yards, but he lifted his shot over the bar, denying Wolves what would have been a winning goal.
Are Birmingham still unbeaten in the Championship this season?
Yes. The draw at St Andrew's extended Birmingham's unbeaten start to the Championship season, with manager Chris Davies praising his side's heart and spirit after twice coming from behind.