David Prutton, keeping his place in the side, commits an early foul on Neil Danns as an eager Wednesday try to make a quick start. That determination is rewarded when Tom Heaton concedes a corner, delivered by Chris Lines and headed into the goal by Miguel Llera after only 3mins. The Spanish defender gets a chance to double the lead when a foul on Chris O'Grady by Stephen McManus results in an Owls free kick. After beating the wall, former Manchester United goalkeeper Heaton makes the save. Only 2mins later and the stopper has another save to make as Wednesday pile on the early pressure and Gary Madine sees his shot dealt with. With barely 10mins in the clock, the Owls have made a positive start - and that start could have been better when Jermaine Johnson swings in a cross and O'Grady fires a left-footed shot over the bar from inside the box. Having lost 9 out of their previous 11, Bristol City needed a response and when Prutton fouled Marvin Elliot, Richard Foster has a good chance from a free kick. Unfortunately for the travelling City fans, Lines (a former Bristol Rovers player) makes the block. The Robins do get their equaliser though when Sam Baldock is upended in the box by Llera, onto his feet - Baldock sends Chris Kirkland the wrong way and Bristol are level, with 17mins on the clock. The next 10 minutes is free kick after free kick as both teams are unable to push on from their goals. The 28th minute sees midfielder Lines fire a decent shot from outside the box which goes narrowly wide to the relief of the Robins. The game turns nervy as neither side want to lose possession and another goal, a period which sees both sides waste good chances from corners. First, Joe Bryan sees his in-swinger cleared with no attack on the ball, then Lines sees Ryan Taylor clear his corner before any Owl can attack. After Lines again has a distance shot which flies wide, the half ends when Michail Antonio lashes a shot from deep inside the box inches wide too, leaving both teams with a goal each after 45mins.
HT. A bright start by SWFC but need to capitalise on all the created chances. Guilty of far too many missed shots. The combination of JJ & Antonio is a crowd pleaser and the attacking intent is good. Bristol are there for the taking at this rate, but if we continue to miss these chances, they could capitalise. A half time snack of a coffee & Twix is finished as the teams come out for the second half.
The second half gets underway with Bristol on the front foot, Bryan swinging a cross in that Prutton clears. The corner by Elliot is cleared and Wednesday can get back in shape. Albert Adomah looks to cap City's early pressure with a goal but sees Jeremy Hélan block his effort on goal. An out swinging corner by Danns is met by the dangerous Baldock who heads his shot just wide in a narrow escape for the home side. Both teams have come out knowing that a 1-1 draw benefits neither and when Richard Foster crosses into the box, Martin Taylor does well to make another clearance. Wednesday fashion a chance of their own when Prutton fires a shot only for Matthew Bates to block and keep the scores level. As the home fans raise the volume the team responds and Madine tests the keeper and moments later JJ fires a wicked shot from outside the box wide. The Owls have upped the tempo now and JJ has a shot that flies over, Madine sees McManus block his shot and cross after cross pepper the Bristol City back line. That pressure is finally relieved in the 65th minute when Lewis Buxtons cross is met by Llera only for his header to fly over the crossbar. After Bristol waste another corner, Bryan's cross claimed by Kirkland, Wednesday advance and Antonio is again guilty of wasting a shot when it fires needlessly wide. The 73rd minute sees the Robins push for a goal of their own, Llera fouling Ryan Taylor and Baldock with the free kick. The ball is delivered and Liam Fontaine fires a shot that's brilliantly saved by Kirkland and the resulting corner gets cleared. When Bristol City do have the ball their 'keep ball' play is very good, there always seems to be a man available. When Bryan sends a searching cross in, Hélan makes the clearance and the same combination again when Bryan's corner is cleared by the loanee sees City frustrated. The pressure from the Robins is building and Adomah sees his shot blocked by Llera and his corner cleared by Taylor. The Owls break moments later and JJ tears up the field, passing 3 City players and rifling a shot that Heaton can only parry into the path of Madine - who graciously side foots the ball into the net just beating the keeper to the ball. Now the Owls have the lead, Dave Jones makes a double switch to keep the 3 points, seeing O'Grady replaced by Barca B loanee Rodri and JJ replaced by Danny Mayor. Less than 5mins later though and the travelling Reds' fans are celebrating when referee Andre Marriner penalises Madine for handball in the box, Baldock steps up for the penalty and scores the equaliser again sending Kirkland the wrong way. Still celebrating 2mins later, the Robins fans up their cheers when a foul by Taylor on Danns gives Adomah the chance to bend a brilliant free kick over the wall and give the Cider Army a 2-3 lead. When Prutton harmlessly heads over Lines' late corner, Wednesday have one last attack. A long ball from the back gets flicked on by Llera into the box and the shot is blocked by Fosters hand, prompting Llera to approach the referee, meanwhile - the ball is crosses back in and amidst the spaniards protests, Madine fires the ball into the net. As the ball crosses the line the referee blows his whistle to stop play, instead of rewarding the goal - Andre Marriner gives Bristol City a free kick, claiming Llera pushed him and showing a yellow card in the process.
FT. Oh what a missed chance that was! Bristol City came and did what they had to. However, seeing the replays of Madines handball it shows the forward chest the ball before clearing, when you're lucks out - it really is out! City climb out of the relegation zone at the expense of SWFCs next opponents, Barnsley. A must win game already in the season shows the state Wednesday are left in.
Attendance: 20,449
Owls Man of Match: Lines (welcome back!)
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