Spectacular volley in Championship — could it be goal of the year?
A stunning 85th-minute volley by Tom Ballard put Bristol 2–1 up, but Birmingham rescued a 2–2 draw late on.
On 23 August 2026 a Championship match between Birmingham and Bristol produced a moment that immediately sparked talk of a contender for goal of the year.
With the score tied 1–1 and the clock in the 85th minute, Bristol forward Tom Ballard fired an extraordinary effort that found the net — a spectacular volley that left the home supporters stunned and the visitors celebrating a sudden 2–1 lead.
The strike instantly became the defining moment of the game: a single-action finish that combined timing and technique and was replayed repeatedly on match highlights.
Despite the beauty of Ballard’s goal and the lift it gave Bristol, it proved insufficient for a win. Birmingham found an equaliser in the final moments and the match finished 2–2.
The goal has already been widely shared on social media and will almost certainly be discussed in end-of-season goal polls; for now it stands as one of the Championship’s most memorable strikes of the early 2026–27 season.
Photo: press material from the event
