Bristol City 1-1 Blackburn Rovers: Ten-man Rovers claim first league draw of the season

Ten-man Blackburn held off Bristol City at Ashton Gate to claim a first league draw of the season.

The Robins responded well and leveled when Rovers goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski parried Zak Vyner’s long-range effort and Antoine Semenyo pounced to slot in.

Rovers then had Daniel Ayala sent off for a second yellow card with 16 minutes left after bringing down Nahki Wells, but held on for a point.

City, who remain 17th, thought they had completed just a sixth home win of the season in stoppage-time when Kai Naismith sent substitute Sam Bell clear to fire in, but the cheers were cut short by a tight offside call.

It was another tough away day for fourth-placed Rovers who have won just three of their last 10 matches to fall 14 points behind second-placed Sheffield United, having been second in November.

Looking to end a nine-game goal drought stretching back to 9 November, Ben Brereton Diaz had a golden chance to give Rovers an early lead when picked out by Ryan Hedges’ far-post cross, but blazed over from close range.

City have won just once in their last eight league matches at Ashton Gate, but it was they who created the better openings before the break and went closest when Thomas Kaminski kept out Wells’ flick with an acrobatic, point-blank save.

Semenyo, linked with a move to Premier League Bournemouth, dragged a shot wide when teed up by Naismith and set up Wells who also steered wide.

Rovers hit the front when Liverpool loanee Tyler Morton pulled the ball back for Dack to score his fifth of the season, but Semenyo leveled to secure a sixth draw in 11 league matches for the hosts.