Bristol City 1-1 Peterborough United: Jonson Clarke-Harris gives Posh draw

Rob AtkinsonImage source, Rex Features
Image caption,

Rob Atkinson scored for the second successive game when he headed in before half-time

Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson said if his players "don't want to change I'll change them" after they were held to a draw at home by 10-man Peterborough United.

Six minutes after Joe Ward was red carded for bringing Andreas Weimann down when through on goal, Jonson Clarke-Harris converted from close range to cancel out Rob Atkinson's first-half header.

The result still does little to ease Peterborough's relegation worries, with Grant McCann's side bottom of the Championship table and nine points from safety.

Pearson said he would not make any excuses for his team, who he described as "anonymous" and "poor personality wise".

"It's nothing to do with technicalities or ability in terms of the players, it's to do with personalities and collective character at times," he told BBC Radio Bristol.

"If they [the players] don't want to change I'll change them. Either that or I'll get changed and if that happens the club still has the same problem.

"They're going to have to do something about the passiveness of everybody. It's a strange club in that regard."

When asked whether he would be looking for personality as much as technical ability when it comes to recruitment in the summer, Pearson replied: "That's never changed for me. I don't know whether it's been like that for the club looking at some of the players we've got populating the squad."

Posh have won just once in the league since Christmas and only a victory at Ashton Gate would have realistically breathed fresh life into their survival hopes.

Hindered further by a goal difference of -48, they will now need to win at least four of their remaining five fixtures to have any chance of staying up.

The visitors played well in the first half, hitting the post through Ward and twice going close when former Robins midfielder Sammie Szmodics tested goalkeeper Daniel Bentley.

But Atkinson's header from Jay Dasilva's cross put City in front before the break and they looked set for a first win in four games when Ward was sent off on 59 minutes.

Clarke-Harris then bundled in after Pearson's men failed to deal with a set-piece and they held on for a point despite Tim Klose heading over when he should have scored.

Peterborough boss Grant McCann told BBC Radio Cambridge:

"I'm disappointed. I thought we were so much in control in the first half that I could see they were forced into making a change.

"I think it's two points dropped but what we did show in the second half was determination and commitment. Obviously down to 10 men it's never easy and we had to defend a lot of balls into our box but we did that well.

"A point's not enough for us, we wanted to try to get another one, hence why we brought Jack Marriott on and kept two up the pitch."

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