Bristol City 1-1 Stoke City: Danny Batth goal edges Potters towards safety
- Published
Croatia defender Filip Benkovic brilliantly curled Bristol City in front before half-time
Danny Batth's second-half equaliser against managerless Bristol City edged Stoke City to the brink of Championship safety with a deserved draw at Ashton Gate.
The former Wolves centre-half scored his second goal in as many games with a far-post header that moved the Potters five points clear of the bottom three and up to 17th.
His close-range finish, which cancelled out Filip Benkovic's fine curling strike moments before half-time, also all but ended Bristol City's hopes of reaching the play-offs.
The Robins, under the caretaker charge of Dean Holden after head coach Lee Johnson's sacking on 4 July, are now five points adrift of sixth-placed Cardiff City.
At the time of Johnson's departure it seemed as though their season was already over, only for back-to-back wins over Hull City and Middlesbrough to then throw them back into the mix.
However, despite Leicester City loanee Benkovic's strike putting them in the driving seat against Stoke, the away side's equaliser was a deserved one.
Stoke all but safe
When Michael O'Neill took over at Stoke on 8 November, they were rooted to the bottom of the table and six points from safety.
But the former Northern Ireland manager has guided them to 12 wins in his 30 matches so far to haul them away from danger.
They were good value for their draw against Bristol City and may even have won the game to mathematically secure their survival but for a brilliant Daniel Bentley save that denied Batth a second goal.
Before that, Nick Powell had also struck a post with a fierce left-footed drive, while both teams missed glorious chances in the first half when Bristol City striker Nahki Wells and then Lewis Gregory wasted one-on-one opportunities.
Bristol City caretaker boss Dean Holden on not giving up on he play-offs: ""Until it's mathematically certain there is no chance that our season is over.
"And even if it does become mathematically certain we won't be on the beach. There is too much to play for, we want to build momentum for next season.
"I knew there weren't going to be fantastic chances here because Michael O'Neill's teams are always defensively sound.
"I'm taking it day by day and enjoying the moment. I've had no further conversations (about the job), but for however long it lasts I will enjoy it. It's a club on the up, very well run and it's a great place to be."
Stoke manager Michael O'Neill on survival chances: "It goes a long way but it does not make it mathematically certain.
"We are not getting carried away but it was the least we deserved. We won't be celebrating. We will be relieved and make sure that it does not happen again for a club of this size.
"We have had a difficult season in the Championship, so going forward we have to make sure it is not repeated again next season.
"The least we have deserved from the game was a point, but I can't ask any more of the players. They have been playing every three days and it's very demanding."