A 94th minute Giovani Dos Santos penalty won the Blues a deserved point at Bristol City. Marvin Elliott had put the home side in front just after half-time, but with time running down, Ivan Campo was fouled in the area and the Mexican made no mistake from the spot.

Boss Jim Magilton made three changes to the side which lost to Doncaster, Alex Bruce, Alan Quinn and Kevin Lisbie coming in for Giovani Dos Santos, Owen Garvan and Ivan Campo. None of Gareth McAuley, Jon Stead or Moritz Volz were fit enough to return to the squad.

The first action of the match saw Bristol City keeper Adriano Basso turn his ankle as he claimed a ball in the air ahead of Kevin Lisbie. After treatment and a brief attempt to carry on, he was replaced by Stephen Henderson.

On 14 David Wright inadvertently cleared straight to Nicky Maynard inside the area. The former Crewe man, who the Blues considered signing in the summer, shot wide when he should have scored.

Five minutes later, good work from Lisbie and Couñago led to David hitting a strike from the edge of the box which Henderson did well to save.

Alan Quinn curled a freekick over in the 24th minute, then Michael McIndoe did much the same at the other end. Shortly afterwards, former Blue Gavin Williams's overhead kick lobbed to Richard Wright.

David Wright was replaced by Ivan Campo in the 34th minute, the full-back having received a blow to the head. Campo joined Pim Balkestein at the centre of the defence with Alex Bruce moving to the right.

On 41 Lee Johnson curled a shot towards the top corner from the edge of the area, but Richard Wright got across to tip the ball over the bar. Cole Skuse's effort just before the half-time whistle was less trouble for the Town keeper.

The Blues had put in a far better performance than against Doncaster and had enjoyed a lot of possession but without creating much of note other than Norris's shot. At the other end, Wright had made a couple of saves and Maynard really ought to have put his side in front.

The second half was only four minutes old when the home side went in front. Marvin Elliott burst into the Town area beating Ivan Campo amongst a number of defenders before slipping the ball past Wright.

The Blues didn't really deserve to be behind on the balance of play, but once again were guilty of starting a half slowly. On 52 Giovani Dos Santos replaced Jon Walters on the right, the former Chester man having again looked short on match fitness.

Two minutes later, Pablo Couñago played in Kevin Lisbie on the edge of the area but Izzy Iriekpen got across to put in a fine challenge.

Wright saved Maynard's shot across the face of goal in the 56th minute with the home side having had the better of the game since the goal. Three minutes later, the Town keeper tipped Maynard's strike from distance over the bar. From the corner, Elliott headed wide.

Pim Balkestein was yellow-carded by referee Anthony Taylor for a foul on the hour mark, then Dos Santos forced Henderson into a sharp save after Skuse had lost possession on the edge of his own area.

The anonymous Gavin Williams was replaced on 67, then Couñago did well to get to the byline inside the area, from where he laid the ball back to Norris, whose shot was well saved. Connor Wickham replaced Pablo Couñago for the final 17 minutes.

Bristol City should have been reduced to 10 men in the 85th minute when Kevin Lisbie chased a long Ben Thatcher clearance behind the Robins' defence. Jamie McCombe cynically pulled the Town striker back on the edge of the area, referee Taylor awarding a freekick.

A red card seemed a formality given that it was difficult to argue that it was anything other than an obvious goalscoring opportunity, but, perhaps because Skuse was also in attendance, McCombe escaped with a yellow. Henderson did well to tip Campo's freekick over.

Town continued to press for a goal and four minutes into injury time they received their reward. A corner came out to Alex Bruce on the edge of the area. The defender's shot was blocked but Ivan Campo looked set to stroke the rebound home from 10 yards when he was felled by Iriekpen. Referee Taylor had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Dos Santos grabbed the ball and slammed it to Henderson's left, the keeper going the wrong way. The final whistle went moments later.

Town deserved at least a point from the game. They were far better than against Doncaster on Saturday in the first half and during the later stages of the second.

The goal just after the break knocked the Blues out of their stride and the home side had their best spell during the following 20 minutes with Richard Wright making one or two important saves.

The point means little to either side at this stage of the season and, ahead of next Sunday's derby, putting in a half-decent performance was perhaps the most important thing for Town.

Town: R Wright, D Wright (Campo 34), Balkestein, Bruce, Shumulikoski, Quinn, Norris, Walters (Dos Santos 52), Couñago (Wickham 73), Lisbie. Unused: Bialkowski, Garvan. Att: 16,430.

Photo: Action Images

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