Bristol City 1-1 Blackburn Rovers: Ten-man Rovers claim first league draw of season

Antoine SemenyoImage source, Rex Features
Image caption,

Antoine Semenyo earned City a point with his ninth goal of the season

Ten-man Blackburn held off Bristol City at Ashton Gate to claim a first league draw of the season.

Bradley Dack finished off a neat move to fire Blackburn ahead early in the second half against the run of play.

The Robins responded well and levelled when Rovers goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski parried Zak Vyner's long-range effort and Antoine Semenyo pounced to slot in.

Rovers then had Daniel Ayala sent off for a second yellow card with 16 minutes left after bringing down Nahki Wells, but held on for a point.

City, who remain 17th, thought they had completed just a sixth home win of the season in stoppage-time when Kai Naismith sent substitute Sam Bell clear to fire in, but the cheers were cut short by a tight offside call.

It was another tough away day for fourth-placed Rovers who have won just three of their last 10 matches to fall 14 points behind second-placed Sheffield United, having been second in November.

Looking to end a nine-game goal drought stretching back to 9 November, Ben Brereton Diaz had a golden chance to give Rovers an early lead when picked out by Ryan Hedges' far-post cross, but blazed over from close range.

City have won just once in their last eight league matches at Ashton Gate, but it was they who created the better openings before the break and went closest when Thomas Kaminski kept out Wells' flick with an acrobatic, point-blank save.

Semenyo, linked with a move to Premier League Bournemouth, dragged a shot wide when teed up by Naismith and set up Wells who also steered wide.

Rovers hit the front when Liverpool loanee Tyler Morton pulled the ball back for Dack to score his fifth of the season, but Semenyo levelled to secure a sixth draw in 11 league matches for the hosts.

Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson told BBC Radio Bristol:

"We've played well today, we've bossed the game and done everything that we can.

"If we play with that commitment and drive, as we have done in recent weeks, we'll be fine, we'll start moving up the table.

"It's good for him (Antoine Semenyo) to get another goal and I think that just shows, with all the speculation surrounding him, that his head is still very much on trying to perform for us."

(On disallowed goal): "The official, when you look at it, is in a poor position and he's about a yard behind the play so the angle that he sees is different."

Blackburn Rovers head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"(After) leading you can be a bit disappointed (to draw), of course also with the way we conceded that goal - individual mistakes which happen in football.

"But on the other hand, I'm very pleased to see the lads digging in there, 10 against 11. Sticking in there with a great spirit, fighting together so I think we can be pleased and be satisfied with a draw."

(On Daniel Ayala's sending off): "I thought it was very harsh. The first goal and yellow card, I couldn't see it. The second yellow card, for me, was not a yellow card."

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