2 years ago
After a 1-1 draw with Swansea City at Ashton Gate, Bristol City battled back to force a third-round FA Cup replay. Antoine Semenyo scored the equalizer.
Rob Atkinson's errant pass within his own box was intercepted by Liam Cullen in the fifteenth minute, and Cullen then squared for Joel Piroe to shoot into an open net.
But after being outplayed in the first half, the home team fought valiantly to tie the score on Semenyo's downward header from Andreas Weimann's left-wing cross on the 75th minute.
Swansea paid the price for not capitalizing more on their first-half domination in the end, even though both teams could have won it in a wild finale.
With just one difference between their teams from their previous Championship games, both managers decided to field potent squads. Steven Benda of Swansea saved Kal Naismith's opening free-kick, and following the save, Ryan Manning tested Max O'Leary at the opposite end.
After Semenyo was brought down inside the Swansea box and claimed a penalty, Atkinson's last-ditch error put Bristol on the back foot. However, referee Craig Pawson was unmoved.
Swansea were clearly the more dangerous team as their opponents continued to give up the ball carelessly, and the home team took another hit on the quarter-hour mark as striker Tommy Conway hobbled out and was replaced by Nahki Wells.
When Naismith was cited for a late challenge on Joel Latibeaudiere, the hosts' annoyance was evident. When Atkinson went down, another penalty shout went unanswered, but for the majority of the first half, Nigel Pearson's side were chasing shadows.
At halftime, visiting manager Russell Martin was compelled to make a substitution, replacing center-back Ben Cabango with Harry Darling.
The hosts attempted to gain some momentum at the start of the second half with a Weimann volley that was over, but Swansea, who had nearly 2,500 supporters behind them, were in no mood to capitulate, and on the 67th minute Jay Fulton fired over from a distance.
After Weimann missed with a header after 71 minutes, Semenyo equalized during a strong stretch for his team. Later, Wells was stopped by a diving save from Benda, and Swansea started making poor passes as the tie tense up.
As both teams attempted to avoid a rematch, O'Leary stopped a Fulton shot, and replacement Joe Williams' cross flashed across the goal at the other end.
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