It was full-blooded and frantic, and at the end of the first league meeting between these bitter rivals in more than five years Steve Bruce could reflect on a draw that maintains his unbeaten record as Aston Villa manager and a return to the club he played for and managed that did not result in him being bombarded with chants of “potato head”.

That’s what Birmingham City supporters directed Bruce’s way as he scouted their side at Burton Albion earlier in the month, and on the eve of this contest the 55-year-old challenged them to come up with a more creative insult. Ultimately, however, the majority of those who filled this venue were, as Bruce put it, “tame” in their response to seeing him in the colours of the enemy. There were some boos as Bruce emerged ahead of kick-off but in general their raucous efforts were directed towards backing the hosts in a derby that lived up to all the stereotypes.

The tempo was breathless and the tackles flew in at regular intervals – in total there were 28 fouls and five yellow cards – and while it was not pretty, it was absorbing, and for Birmingham there will be regret that they failed to beat Villa on their first arrival here since January 2011 and in the first second-tier clash between these second-city sides since 1987.

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Birmingham had the bulk of possession – 61% – and created more chances than their opponents – 14 compared with five. Indeed, Villa scored with their only effort on target – and in some style, too – and the least the hosts deserved was the equaliser David Davis secured for them on 71 minutes.

“Am I pleased with a point? No, not really,” the Birmingham manager, Gary Rowett, said. “I’m pleased we managed to get back into the game after dominating. I can’t remember too many times when Villa got out of their half and we had some really strong chances. The players showed great desire and effort.”

The blue onslaught began from the kick-off and the approach was simple enough – get the ball up to the front pair of Clayton Donaldson and Che Adams quickly and allow them to put as much pressure as possible on Villa’s back four. In response, they stood firm and competed hard – too hard in the case of the left-back Jordan Amavi who was booked by the referee, Mike Dean, after just three minutes for a lunge on Maikel Kieftenbeld.

The visitors were happy to play on the counterattack and they delivered the ultimate sucker punch on 29 minutes when Gary Gardner rose above Donaldson and redirected Jonathan Ayew’s free-kick into the far corner of the net with a powerful, looping header. For the 24-year-old boyhood Villa supporter and academy graduate it was a moment to remember and he made that clear by racing over to the equally joyous 1,988 travelling fans located at the opposite end of the pitch.

“It was a great header,” Bruce said of the midfielder’s first goal for the club, while Rowett described it as a “big disappointment”, with arguably none in blue feeling that more than Donaldson. Not only had he been beaten to the jump by Gardner (the younger brother of the former Birmingham and Villa midfielder Craig) but it happened 10 minutes after the striker should have given the hosts the lead himself. Reacting first to Ryan Shotton’s cross to the back post, Donaldson powered a header of his own towards goal that hit the crossbar before appearing to go over the line. Simon Long, the assistant on the near side, disagreed, leading to uproar in the Birmingham ranks, but replays showed the whole of the ball had indeed not crossed the line. The truth was that Donaldson should have done better.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Gary Gardner celebrates after scoring for Villa. Photograph: Nathan Stirk/Getty Images

The striker failed to score with another glorious opportunity from close-range on 76 minutes but at least by that time someone in blue had found the back of the net, with Davis sending a long-range, deflected drive past Pierluigi Gollini after the Villa keeper had directed David Cotterill’s cross into his path.

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“A draw was fair,” Bruce said after a result that meant Birmingham and Villa both moved up one place, to seventh and 15th respectively. The visitors have now also drawn two and won two of their four games under the former Manchester United centre-back.

The ferocious pace continued amid a frenzied atmosphere into the closing stages, during which Gabriel Agbonlahor came on for Villa for his first appearance for the club since March and Rhoys Wiggins was taken off on a stretcher, requiring oxygen after colliding with Rudy Gestede. “His foot planted and he felt something snap,” Rowett said of the full-back. “It looks bad.”

Unlike Bruce, the Birmingham manager was subjected to audible taunts from opposition fans and he showed what he thought of that by giving them a wave, cupping his ear and seemingly saying something offensive in their direction as he walked from the pitch at the end of the game.

The 42-year-old also had choice words for Jonathan Kodjia for some perceived time-wasting by the Villa forward. “I won’t use the grammar I used but I said you are a big lad and this is about the sixth time you’ve been on the floor,” Rowett said. “There came a point where Kodjia could have walked off through sheer embarrassment.”