Nigel Pearson: Bristol City manager 'bemused' by lack of penalties awarded

Bristol City last had a penalty awarded to them in November 2021

Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson says it is a "concern for the game" that his team are not awarded penalties.

It has been 428 days since the Robins were last given a spot-kick in a match in any competition.

Bristol City had multiple penalty appeals dismissed by the officials during their 1-1 draw against Swansea in the FA Cup third round on Sunday.

"The penalty decisions that don't go our way, it's bemusing," Pearson told BBC Radio Bristol.

"It's a concern for the game and certainly a concern for us."

The last time a penalty was given to the Robins was on 6 November 2021, which Chris Martin converted during the 3-2 defeat by Coventry City in the Championship.

Against Swansea, Antoine Semenyo and Rob Atkinson both had first-half calls waved away after appearing to be fouled in the box, while Alex Scott was also knocked to the ground but saw his appeals for a penalty go unanswered.

"The two penalty shouts from the first half, when you look at them, I'm embarrassed for them [the officials]," Pearson said.

"But somebody has got to do something about it and it just remains a real conundrum as to why we don't get them."

Semenyo scored a 75th-minute equaliser to earn Bristol City a replay against the Swans. The winner will host Chesterfield or West Bromwich Albion in the fourth round.

The result was, however, the eighth successive match at Ashton Gate where Bristol City have failed to win.

They have won just one of their past 12 matches in all competitions, stretching back to 22 October.

"I thought our second-half performance was really good. We created a lot of decent situations, got ourselves back in there with the equaliser and we looked like we'd go on and win it," Pearson added.

"It remains a frustration for us why we are unable to turn positive performances into goals and into wins but the players, I don't think anyone can doubt that they gave everything."