Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Bristol City and Blackburn Rovers at Ashton Gate as Callum O'Dowda had put the Robins ahead, but Ben Brereton Diaz rescued a point for the away side
Saturday 20 November 2021 19:24, UK
Ben Brereton-Diaz notched his 14th goal of the season to earn Blackburn a point from a 1-1 Championship draw with Bristol City at Ashton Gate.
The hosts took a 34th-minute lead when Callum O'Dowda ran onto an Andreas Weimann through ball to shoot past Thomas Kaminski with the aid of a deflection.
But Rovers levelled on 75 minutes, Brereton-Diaz rifling home a right-footed drive from an angle after Tomas Kalas had made a hash of an attempted headed clearance.
Substitute Nahki Wells almost won it for City just after going on, but saw his 84th-minute header brilliantly saved by Kaminski.
Robins boss Nigel Pearson, back at the helm following illness, gave a first start to teenage midfielder Ayman Benarous as one of three changes from the 3-2 defeat at Coventry.
Tony Mowbray named an unchanged Blackburn side as they looked to build on a 3-1 win over Sheffield United before the international break.
City created nearly all the first-half chances, but only had O'Dowda's goal to show for it.
Kaminski had to make a fine diving save as early as the fifth minute when an Alex Scott free-kick was flicked on and bounced wickedly off defender Scott Wharton.
Tyreeq Bakinson saw a 17th-minute shot deflected over after good work by O'Dowda and Weimann, who should have put City ahead 15 minutes later.
Another Scott free-kick was flicked on at the near post and the striker miskicked with the goal at his mercy six yards out.
O'Dowda's goal was well deserved and two minutes later City almost kicked on as the busy Benarous fired wide from another good position.
Blackburn had the ball in the net on 38 minutes, but Brereton-Diaz was ruled offside as he volleyed past Dan Bentley from Reda Khadra's chip forward.
The visitors suffered a blow soon afterwards when Ian Poveda suffered an injury near the halfway line and had to be stretchered off after lengthy treatment.
Blackburn failed to register a worthwhile goal attempt in the first half and again at the start of the second period could not find the final pass to breach City's back line.
On the hour, Brereton-Diaz sent a curling effort wide from outside the box. Both managers then made changes, Benarous receiving a standing ovation from home fans when replaced by Han-Noah Massengo.
Mowbray sent on Joe Rothwell and Leighton Clarkson for Jacob Davenport and Ryan Nyambe, while Pearson replaced Chris Martin with Antoine Semenyo.
Both sides were struggling to test the respective goalkeepers. But that all changed with the emphatic finish by Brereton-Diaz.
Rothwell volleyed wide as Rovers sensed a late winner.
But City went closer with Wells' header and will be disappointed not to have edged a competitive match.
Bristol City's Nigel Pearson: "The performance showed where we are as a team. We probably should have been out of sight by half time. Not enough of the chances we create are being finished and that leaves us open to paying for one mistake at the back, which happened today. We are relying heavily on a lot of young players. That is the club's policy and one I endorse as manager.
"There were a lot of positives to take from the game, including the fact that we responded well to their goal. That hasn't always been the case. But today we rallied and looked more likely to win than lose in the closing stages."
Blackburn's Tony Mowbray: "Ben Brereton-Diaz deserves all the superlatives being said about him this season. He has been away with Chile's squad working with world class players, but there is not a hint of the big-timer about him. I love working with him because he is such a nice kid. Today he has had one goal narrowly ruled out for offside and come up with a tremendous finish.
"In the end we deserved a point. They will cause a lot of teams problems with long-throws and other set-pieces and we stood up to them a lot better in the second half."
