A share of the spoils gave both clubs a fractionally tighter hold in the League One play-offs battle, yet it would take the sharpest football mind to fathom why the deadlock was not broken in Wales’s second city yesterday. A glut of opportunities was cast into the leaden skies by both rivals, the home side failing to turn second-half possession into goals.
Kenny Jackett, the Swansea City manager, was in philosophical mood afterwards. “We’ve moved the ball around well out there, but Bristol City defended ever so well,” he said. “We hit the woodwork in both halves. The goal wouldn’t come, though.
“Bristol are a very strong defensive unit this year, it was very difficult for us to break them down. It might have finished 0-0, but I genuinely feel that we are moving along the right lines and we’re sixth in a very open section.”
Both teams must have pondered the scoreless situation at the break in an enterprising clash that always contained an abundance of exhilarating, attacking football. Bristol City, who had lost away to Nottingham Forest, the leaders, and Yeovil Town recently, wasted a plethora of clear-cut openings — Cole Skuse seeing an angled volley brilliantly diverted by Willy Guéret, the Swansea goalkeeper. The shaven-headed Paul Brooker, who was returning to the Bristol City line-up after eight weeks out with a knee injury, was twice guilty of weak finishing, as were Enoch Showunmi and Phil Jevons.
Yet Swansea were soon extending Adriano Basso, the Bristol City goalkeeper, Lee Trundle being frustrated by the Brazilian on two occasions and Alan Tate’s shot then being hacked away from the line by Jamie McCombe in the thirteenth minute.
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The visiting team’s determination to travel back across the Severn Bridge with crucial reward became even more evident either side of the hour, the woodwork and stout work by McCombe, Liam Fontaine and Basso thwarting efforts from Trundle, Leon Britton and Andy Robinson.
Gary Johnson, the Bristol City manager, was satisfied with the afternoon’s events. “Judging by what I’ve seen today, both Swansea and ourselves will be up there at the end of this campaign,” he said. “Yes, we had four or five decent chances before the break, but Kenny will feel his lads could have taken all three points.”
Swansea City (4-4-2): W Guéret — K Amankwaah (sub: I Craney, 60min), D Lawrence (sub: E Iriekpen, 46), K Austin, M Painter — L Britton, A Tate, D Pratley, A Robinson — R Fallon (sub: A Akinfenwa, 74), L Trundle. Substitutes not used: A Oakes, T Butler. Booked: Robinson, Austin. FORM DWWLWW NEXT Brighton & Hove Albion (a)
Bristol City (4-3-3): A Basso — R Keogh, J McCombe, L Fontaine, J McAllister — C Skuse, L Johnson, A Russell (sub: S Murray, 74) — P Jevons (sub: J Myrie-Williams, 55), S Brooker (sub: C Woodman, 80), E Showunmi. Substitutes not used: B Orr, C Weale. Booked: Jevons, McAllister. FORM DWLWLW NEXT Carlisle United (h)