The Blues skipper, facing the Baggies for the first time since having his jaw broken by a Paul Robinson challenge, hit a sweetly-struck volley into the left corner after his own cross had been cleared back to him with four minutes left on the clock.

Paul McShane had put the Baggies ahead from Jason Koumas' 64th-minute cross before Blues midfielder Julian Gray saw red for hauling the Republic of Ireland international down two yards from goal two minutes later.

The result moves the Blues into second behind Derby, while the Baggies, who were again made to pay for failing to take their chances, stay in sixth.

Tony Mowbray threw new arrival Sam Sodje straight into the heart of his Baggies defence, while City strike pairing Rowan Vine and Nicklas Bendtner were passed fit after recovering from illness.

Nathan Ellington, returning to the Albion attack in place of Kevin Phillips, was given a chance to make his mark as early as the seventh minute, but his powerful 25-yard free-kick flew wide of the right post.

The former Wigan striker began like a man with a point to prove and was inches away from his eighth league goal of the season with a dipping effort from the right side of the area which looped over the back-pedalling Colin Doyle, and, to his relief, the bar.

Mowbray's men have earned a reputation for their overly elaborate style despite being the Championship's leading scorers at home this season and at times it was easy to see why.

Zoltan Gera showed magnificent control before releasing the energetic McShane down the right, who found Diomansy Kamara but the Baggies striker took too long in possession and eventually the move broke down.

Wales international Koumas curled a delightful 31st-minute set-piece over the wall from 25 yards but his effort landed the wrong side of the left post with Doyle beaten.

Steve Bruce's side had chances of their own with Julian Gray's corner flicked to the back post by Martin Taylor. The unmarked Vine opted to take it on the volley but skewed his shot well wide of Dean Kiely's goal.

Referee Mike Riley then waved away Gray's penalty claims after the City winger spun his marker before being grounded.

Albion finished the stronger and Kamara had a great chance to open the scoring after waltzing past the Blues defence, but he blazed over the bar.

After a sluggish start to the second half it was the away side who carved the first real openings.

Johnson should have done better after being released in space by Gray, but the Northern Ireland midfielder, who had time to pick his spot, fired over Kiely's bar.

A stunning point-blank save from Kiely denied Vine from close range after the ex-Luton striker had looked certain to score from Johnson's right-wing cross.

And they were soon made to pay when man of the match McShane stole ahead of the Blues defence to fire past Doyle.

Two minutes later the energetic Irishman showed a clean pair of heels to race clear before last man Gray's lunge, which left Riley with no option but to show the red card.

Twice Doyle's blushes were only narrowly spared after poor kicks rebounded against first Ellington and later Kamara only to land over the bar.

Birmingham's defence, which had conceded just one goal in their last four games before kick-off, began to look stretched by Albion's swift attacks and Koumas almost doubled the lead with a curling effort just wide of Doyle's right post.

But Mowbray's side were made to pay in the 86th minute when Johnson's stunning volley flew past Kiely.

The home side still had chances to clinch three points with Kamara heading former Blues midfielder Darren Carter's corner narrowly over, but they could not find a way through as they stretched their winless run to five league games.