Bristol City vs Blackburn Rovers. Sky Bet Championship.
Ashton GateAttendance19,882.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Bristol City and Blackburn Rovers at Ashton Gate as Antoine Semenyo scored to cancel out Bradley Dack's opener on Saturday.
Saturday 21 January 2023 19:01, UK
Blackburn battled their way to a 1-1 Sky Bet Championship draw with Bristol City at Ashton Gate despite having captain Daniel Ayala sent off.
The visitors went in front after 54 minutes when Tyler Morton got behind City's defence on the right and pulled back a perfect cross for Bradley Dack to shoot home from eight yards.
But City levelled 14 minutes later as Rovers goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski could only a parry a Zak Vyner shot from outside the box and Antoine Semenyo slotted home the rebound.
Blackburn were reduced to 10 men in the 74th minute when Ayala received a second yellow card for pulling back Nahki Wells as he threatened to break clear.
Rovers reorganised well and deserved their point against improving opponents on a decent run.
The home side started brightly, forcing two early corners, but it was Blackburn who created the first clear chance in the 12th minute when Ben Brereton Diaz blazed over at the far post from a Ryan Hedges cross.
Semenyo fired wide for City after 15 minutes as both sides looked to warm to their task on a freezing afternoon. Semenyo then supplied a cross for Wells to shoot just past the near post.
A Wells glancing header brought a reaction save from Kaminski when City threatened again in the 24th minute.
It was the hosts creating the clearer openings as Semenyo headed over from a Kal Naismith cross. The first half ended without Rovers having registered a shot on target.
The visitors had looked solid and composed at the back and there was little excitement to lift the temperature.
Brereton Diaz fired high over the bar after 52 minutes, with both sides still struggling to fashion meaningful openings.
Dack's goal came out of the blue, and from Rovers' first accurate goal attempt. Second later Semenyo broke into the box but could only hit the side netting with his fierce shot.
Both sides had strong penalty claims in the space of a minute as first Rovers' Joe Rankin-Costello and then Wells went down under challenges inside the box.
Finally, the game sprung to life and Semenyo's equaliser had home fans on their feet.
They were given another lift by Ayala's dismissal, the centre-back already having been booked for a first-half foul.
Alex Scott had a shot deflected for a corner as City piled on pressure with their man advantage.
Then substitute Sam Bell slotted home from a Naismith pass only to be foiled by a linesman's flag for offside.
Six minutes of stoppage time were signalled but City were unable to create another chance and a share of the spoils was about right.
Bristol City's Nigel Pearson:
"We were the better side, on top for almost the entire game. It was a good performance. The table tells you that Blackburn are a decent side and we played at a good tempo throughout to cause them a lot of problems.
"Another week goes past and yet another penalty appeal goes against us. Nahki Wells was tackled from behind inside the box and nothing is given. Had we made that sort of challenge and had a penalty awarded against us, I would not have complained. Then we have a goal ruled out at the end for an offside decision the linesman was in no position to make. Antoine Semenyo played really well and deserved his goal. As a young man he has dealt with all the background noise and transfer speculation really well."
Blackburn's Jon Dahl Tomasson:
"I thought the sending-off was very harsh. I didn't see the incident for the first yellow card, but the second should not have been given. The Bristol player was clever in the way he used his body to draw a foul. Was it worthy of a yellow card? I don't think so.
"Big compliments need to go to the lads for the way they played 10 against 11 in the closing stages. They showed quality and great spirit to reward our travelling fans. It was a very solid performance against a team with a lot of attacking quality, who have been in good form over the last couple of weeks. There is some disappointment because we took the lead and looked to be in control of the game. We conceded a goal from the sort of individual mistakes that happen in football."
