Match ends, Bristol City 1, Brentford 1.
Bristol City 1-1 Brentford: Neal Maupay earns Bees draw at Ashton Gate
- From the section Championship
Neal Maupay's 15th goal of the season earned Brentford a point at Ashton Gate as hosts Bristol City drew for a third consecutive game.
The Robins had led through defender Eros Pisano's first goal in English football, as he headed in a first-half corner.
But Maupay clinically volleyed in from Ollie Watkins' cross after half-time to level.
The Bees' top scorer nearly won it late on for the visitors, but fired narrowly wide, keeping Thomas Frank's side five points clear of the relegation zone.
The result extended Bristol City's unbeaten run to six matches and lifted them in to the top half, but they have drawn four of their past five games, having led in all of those four draws.
Brentford, who have struggled since losing head coach Frank's first game in charge - a defeat to the Robins in 20 October's reverse fixture - stayed six points below the Robins in 18th.
Watkins and Maupay went close several times for the visitors in the first half, before the hosts' Famara Diedhiou glanced wide in the second half, with both sides feeling they might have won it.
Both Watkins and the Championship's top marksman Maupay drilled wide again in the closing stages, before Bees stopper Daniel Bentley's fine save in stoppage time kept out substitute Niclas Eliasson's dangerous free-kick.
Bristol City head coach Lee Johnson told BBC Radio Bristol:
"I thought it was a tough game. The boys performed well and gave everything.
"We have to be on the front foot because we're at home, we tried to be and it was good to get the goal up, and then it was a poor goal to concede.
"Of course we want to turn those home draws into wins, and in three days' time (against Rotherham on Saturday) it's important we don't put anxiety across to the players. We've got to encourage them and it's good that two or three have hit individual form."
Brentford head coach Thomas Frank:
"I would settle for the same display at Birmingham on Saturday, with a little more luck.
"The header for Bristol City's goal would have gone wide if it had not hit a defender and overall I thought we deserved to win the game.
"Our wide players are dangerous and we were a threat going forward throughout this game.
"The only period that disappointed me was the last 10 minutes when we sat back too deep, possibly through lack of confidence."
Line-ups
Bristol City
- 33Mäenpää
- 2Pisano
- 22Kalas
- 4Webster
- 17KellySubstituted forDasilvaat 73'minutes
- 21Pack
- 14WeimannSubstituted forTaylorat 73'minutes
- 8Brownhill
- 20Paterson
- 11O'DowdaSubstituted forEliassonat 88'minutes
- 9Diedhiou
Substitutes
- 3Dasilva
- 5Wright
- 10Taylor
- 19Eliasson
- 24O'Leary
- 32Hunt
- 40Eisa
Brentford
- 1Bentley
- 26Konsa
- 23Jeanvier
- 29Barbet
- 22Dalsgaard
- 12Mokotjo
- 19Sawyers
- 2Odubajo
- 21BenrahmaSubstituted forCanosat 70'minutes
- 9MaupayBooked at 26mins
- 11WatkinsSubstituted forJudgeat 82'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Henry
- 7Canos
- 10McEachran
- 14Da Silva
- 18Judge
- 28Daniels
- 34Bech Sörensen
- Referee:
- David Webb
- Attendance:
- 21,207
Match Stats
Home TeamBristol CityAway TeamBrentford
- Possession
- Home51%
- Away49%
- Shots
- Home8
- Away14
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away3
- Corners
- Home3
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away14
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Bristol City 1, Brentford 1.
Foul by Yoann Barbet (Brentford).
Matty Taylor (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Josh Brownhill (Bristol City).
Sergi Canos (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Moses Odubajo (Brentford).
Niclas Eliasson (Bristol City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt missed. Famara Diedhiou (Bristol City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Matty Taylor with a headed pass.
Foul by Neal Maupay (Brentford).
Niclas Eliasson (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Bristol City. Niclas Eliasson replaces Callum O'Dowda.
Attempt missed. Josh Brownhill (Bristol City) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Jamie Paterson.
Attempt missed. Marlon Pack (Bristol City) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Jay Dasilva following a set piece situation.
Foul by Ezri Konsa Ngoyo (Brentford).
Matty Taylor (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Kamohelo Mokotjo (Brentford).
Matty Taylor (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Yoann Barbet (Brentford).
Famara Diedhiou (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Brentford. Alan Judge replaces Ollie Watkins.
Attempt missed. Ollie Watkins (Brentford) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left misses to the right.
Attempt blocked. Sergi Canos (Brentford) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Kamohelo Mokotjo.
Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by Moses Odubajo.
Kamohelo Mokotjo (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Marlon Pack (Bristol City).
Foul by Henrik Dalsgaard (Brentford).
Jay Dasilva (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Sergi Canos (Brentford) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Jay Dasilva (Bristol City).
Substitution
Substitution, Bristol City. Jay Dasilva replaces Lloyd Kelly.
Substitution
Substitution, Bristol City. Matty Taylor replaces Andreas Weimann.
Attempt missed. Neal Maupay (Brentford) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Romaine Sawyers.
Substitution
Substitution, Brentford. Sergi Canos replaces Said Benrahma.
Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Niki Mäenpää.
Attempt saved. Ollie Watkins (Brentford) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Moses Odubajo.
Foul by Romaine Sawyers (Brentford).
Josh Brownhill (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jamie Paterson (Bristol City).
Romaine Sawyers (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
