Bristol City lost their unbeaten record in the Coca-Cola Championship last night, despite a remarkable long-range goal by Lee Trundle. The mercurial forward, who looks and plays like David Beckham’s chunkier brother, seized on a poor clearance by Maik Taylor and embarrassed the Birmingham City goalkeeper with a stunning left-foot strike in the 79th minute.

Trundle had been on the pitch for only nine minutes after coming on as a substitute with his team trailing 2-0, but his goal proved to be no more than a consolation. “It was typical Trundle,” Alex McLeish, the Birmingham manager, said. “When I saw he was coming on I thought, ‘Oh no, he’s liable to do something special,’ but I never thought he would do that. He’s becoming notorious for that sort of finish.”

Birmingham had been cruising until the closing stages and the first-half performance was their best of the season, according to McLeish. “We deserved to win and it was a fantastic team performance,” he said. “This is a very, very tough place to come to.”

The Championship is supposed to be an open division, but McLeish has attacking options that other managers at this level can only dream about.

Three forwards who are arguably Premier League class - Kevin Phillips, Marcus Bent and Quincy Owusu-Abeyie - had to settle for a place on the substitutes’ bench at Ashton Gate.

Birmingham started with Cameron Jerome in attack, and Gary McShef-frey and James McFadden providing support from the flanks. It took them only nine minutes to take the lead; an inswinging free kick taken by Sebastian Larsson forcing Louis Carey to head the ball into his own net. Jerome doubled his team’s advantage in the 25th minute with a clever, low strike from close range.

Bristol did not click into gear until Trundle replaced Bradley Orr in the 70th minute. “Trundle’s goal was from 45 yards and that’s no exaggeration,” Gary Johnson, the Bristol manager, said. “He does it regularly in training but that’s a goal he’ll never forget.”

Bristol City (4-4-2): A Basso (sub: C Weale, 38min) - B Orr (sub: L Trundle, 70), L Carey, L Fontaine, J McAllister - G Williams (sub: I Sproule, 53), L Johnson, C Skuse, M McIndoe - N Maynard, D Adebola. Substitutes not used: A Webster, M Elliott. Booked: Carey.

Birmingham City (4-4-2): Maik Taylor - S Parnaby (sub: S Kelly 68), Martin Taylor, L Ridgewell, D Murphy - S Larsson, L Carsley, K Agustien (sub: Q Owusu-Abeyie, 81), J McFadden (sub: M Bent, 66) - C Jerome, G McSheffrey. Substitutes not used: K Phillips, A Krysiak. Booked: Agustien, Martin Taylor, Larsson.

Referee: K Friend.