Bristol City vs Ipswich Town. Sky Bet Championship.
Ashton GateAttendance18,411.
Bristol City denied victory at Ashton Gate but still climb back into top six of Sky Bet Championship.
Tuesday 12 March 2019 23:19, UK
Adam Webster's goal against his former club was only enough to earn Bristol City a 1-1 draw with the Championship's bottom club Ipswich at Ashton Gate.
The centre-back put the home side ahead in the 32nd minute, rising at the far post to nod home a Niclas Eliasson cross from the right.
But spirited Ipswich refused to cave in and grabbed a deserved equaliser in the 68th minute when City left-back Lloyd Kelly turned Myles Kenlock's driven cross from the left into his own net.
The result was enough to lift City back into the play-off places, but their performance attracted loud jeers from home fans at the final whistle
Ipswich might have gone ahead in the first minute when home goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic, making his City debut, was caught in possession inside the box. Luckily for him when the ball broke across goal Kelly got back to clear.
The visitors made by far the sharper start and almost took the lead in the 16th minute when Luke Chambers headed narrowly wide at the near post from an Alan Judge corner.
Marinovic was looking shaky and could only parry a Judge shot, with no Ipswich player on hand to net the rebound.
Famara Diedhiou headed over from a Jamie Paterson corner and Andreas Weimann volleyed against the outside of a post as City at last started to get their act together.
Weimann again went close in the 24th minute, seeing his low left-footed drive from eight yards blocked on the line.
Webster's goal came with the home side exerting genuine pressure for the first time.
Diedhiou almost scored one of the goals of the season in the 35th minute but his acrobatic overhead kick from Jack Hunt's cross sent the ball flashing over the bar.
At the other end Ipswich continued to threaten and Marinovic had to dive to hold a Gwion Edwards shot from distance.
The half-time whistle came with Ipswich having contributed plenty to an open game.
That pattern continued after the break and Marinovic had to dive full length to deal with a Trevoh Chalobah shot in the 50th minute.
City had a penalty appeal rejected when Paterson went down inside the box under a challenge from two Ipswich players. But just before Kelly's own goal, Marinovic had to distinguish himself again with a fine save from Edwards' long-range effort.
Josh Brownhill went close to a winner for City in the closing stages, bursting into the box only to send his left-footed volley wide of the near post.
But Ipswich defended manfully to restrict their hosts to few chances and gain another battling away point. If Paul Lambert's men are to be relegated, as looks likely, they are going down fighting.
Lee Johnson: "I understand the fans' reaction because it was a nervy display. But we have no divine right to beat an established Championship club like Ipswich, who are much better than their position in the table suggests.
"They have some good players and an excellent manager. I'm actually quite pleased to take a point from the match. We are in the top six with 10 games left and at the start of the season we would have bitten hands off to be in that position."
Paul Lambert: "We had six Academy lads in the squad and to come here and play like that was fantastic. I am over the moon about the performance. You need a pathway for kids coming through and we have a lot of good ones.
"I am not picking them because I believe we are getting relegated. I am playing them because they deserve it and need to learn. We should have beaten Bristol at our place and we should have beaten them again tonight. We played some fantastic football at times. The club has thrived through producing its own players in the past and must do so again. The signs are really encouraging."
