Match ends, Doncaster Rovers 1, Bristol City 1.
Doncaster Rovers 1-1 Bristol City
- From the section FA Cup
Matt Smith's second-half header earned Bristol City an FA Cup third-round replay against Doncaster Rovers.
The on-loan striker guided Luke Ayling's cross past goalkeeper Sam Johnstone with 15 minutes remaining.
Luke McCullough had put Doncaster ahead shortly after the break, hooking the ball in off the post after City failed to clear Harry Forrester's corner.
Kyle Bennett came closest to winning the match for the hosts, forcing Frank Fielding into a smart save.
The Doncaster substitute had an even better chance to score from inside the penalty area in injury time but shot well wide of the goal, and the teams will now contest a replay at Ashton Gate.
Bristol City, who were knocked off the top of League One for the first time since September thanks to Swindon's draw with Fleetwood on Saturday, were beaten by Watford in a replay at the same stage of the Cup last season.
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Doncaster manager Paul Dickov told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"We'll take a lot of confidence from this.
"We're obviously really disappointed to not come away with the win but I've just said to the players: If we perform like that in the majority of our games then we'll do well.
"I'm delighted with the effort of the boys. We played a really good team and we restricted them to limited chances.
"We'll go onto Oldham next week with a lot of confidence."
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Bristol City manager Steve Cotterill told BBC Radio Bristol:
"We were average in the first half - at best - and good in the second half.
"In the first half we were almost like a counter-attack team. We weren't the attacking threat that we usually are in every game we play in.
"But sometimes you need to show character in games like this when you're a long way away from home.
"I thought we were good in the second half and we certainly deserved a draw."
Line-ups
Doncaster
- 33Johnstone
- 22Wabara
- 12McCullough
- 16Butler
- 17Stevens
- 18Keegan
- 4FurmanSubstituted forTysonat 88'minutes
- 19Wellens
- 26Coppinger
- 9RobinsonSubstituted forMainat 79'minutes
- 10ForresterSubstituted forBennettat 78'minutes
Substitutes
- 6McCombe
- 11Main
- 13Marosi
- 14Tyson
- 15Wakefield
- 23Bennett
- 29Middleton
Bristol City
- 1Fielding
- 22Ayling
- 4Flint
- 3Williams
- 2LittleBooked at 13mins
- 8Elliott
- 7SmithSubstituted forFreemanat 89'minutes
- 12KaneBooked at 57minsSubstituted forPackat 83'minutes
- 23Bryan
- 10Emmanuel-Thomas
- 9Smith
Substitutes
- 5Osborne
- 11Wagstaff
- 13Richards
- 15Freeman
- 16Wynter
- 17Cunningham
- 21Pack
- Referee:
- Scott Duncan
- Attendance:
- 5,671
Match Stats
Home TeamDoncasterAway TeamBristol City
- Possession
- Home59%
- Away41%
- Shots
- Home18
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away7
- Corners
- Home9
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home3
- Away12
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Doncaster Rovers 1, Bristol City 1.
Attempt missed. Joe Bryan (Bristol City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses the top right corner.
Attempt missed. Kyle Bennett (Doncaster Rovers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.
Luke McCullough (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Matt Smith (Bristol City).
Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by Paul Keegan.
Substitution
Substitution, Bristol City. Luke Freeman replaces Korey Smith.
Substitution
Substitution, Doncaster Rovers. Nathan Tyson replaces Dean Furman.
Corner, Doncaster Rovers. Conceded by Aden Flint.
Attempt missed. Korey Smith (Bristol City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is too high.
Substitution
Substitution, Bristol City. Marlon Pack replaces Todd Kane.
Corner, Doncaster Rovers. Conceded by Frank Fielding.
Attempt saved. Kyle Bennett (Doncaster Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Corner, Doncaster Rovers. Conceded by Korey Smith.
Corner, Doncaster Rovers. Conceded by Mark Little.
Luke McCullough (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Matt Smith (Bristol City).
Substitution
Substitution, Doncaster Rovers. Curtis Main replaces Theo Robinson.
Substitution
Substitution, Doncaster Rovers. Kyle Bennett replaces Harry Forrester because of an injury.
Attempt missed. Harry Forrester (Doncaster Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
James Coppinger (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jay Emmanuel-Thomas (Bristol City).
Dean Furman (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Derrick Williams (Bristol City).
Goal!
Goal! Doncaster Rovers 1, Bristol City 1. Matt Smith (Bristol City) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Luke Ayling.
Attempt saved. Jay Emmanuel-Thomas (Bristol City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Enda Stevens (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Mark Little (Bristol City).
Attempt missed. Dean Furman (Doncaster Rovers) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left.
Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by Sam Johnstone.
Attempt saved. Jay Emmanuel-Thomas (Bristol City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Richard Wellens (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Korey Smith (Bristol City).
Attempt blocked. Harry Forrester (Doncaster Rovers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Booking
Todd Kane (Bristol City) is shown the yellow card.
Harry Forrester (Doncaster Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Todd Kane (Bristol City).
Attempt saved. Jay Emmanuel-Thomas (Bristol City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt saved. James Coppinger (Doncaster Rovers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.