Bristol City missed the chance to go second in the Championship after Sheffield Wednesday held them to an action-packed draw at Ashton Gate.
The visitors applied relentless pressure before half-time but City managed to keep them at bay.
Striker Nicky Maynard then pounced to put City ahead after 59 minutes.
But the Owls equalised with 15 minutes to go when Marcus Tudgay released the hard-working Luke Varney, who cracked home a blistering drive from 25 yards.
Varney almost put Wednesday ahead seconds later with a strong shot after being found by substitute Leon Clarke.
But Dean Gerken stretched to tip the ball round the post and the City keeper then had to rapidly back-pedal to prevent Clarke chipping a late winner.
Bristol City boss Gary Johnson:
"We nicked it because we were all at sea for most of the game.
"It's not often we play like that. We have a tough week of training ahead. For some reason we looked disorganised and lacked the sharpness of thought.
"I made some changes but we were just never at the races and in the end it's a good result for us on a bad day."
Sheffield Wednesday manager Brian Laws:
"We had five out with a virus and Tommy Miller had to come off because he was feeling ill.
"I had gone from plan A to plan F, but the lads gave everything and we definitely deserved to win.
"We were denied the most blatant penalty you could ever see, but this might be a turning point for us."
Live text and stats
Saturday, 31 October 2009
Championship
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Bristol City
1-1
Sheff Wed
FT
(HT 0-0)
Maynard 59
Varney 75
Bristol City
22 Gerken
03 McAllister yellow card
05 McCombe
06 Carey (Saborio 46)
32 Nyatanga
07 Elliott
08 Johnson (Hartley 46)
14 Skuse
29 Sno
10 Maynard
31 Haynes (Sproule 80)
Substitutes
35 Basso,
19 Ribeiro,
11 Hartley,
15 Williams,
17 Sproule,
09 Clarkson,
33 Saborio
Sheff Wed
01 Grant
02 Spurr
03 Buxton
05 Hinds
20 Simek yellow card
06 Miller (Clarke 65)
14 Potter
17 O'Connor
23 Johnson
07 Tudgay
19 Varney yellow card
Substitutes
22 O'Donnell,
21 Wood,
26 Wragg,
24 Boden,
09 Jeffers,
18 Clarke,
28 Modest
Ref: GrahamAtt: 15,005
BRISTOL CITY
SHEFF WED
Possession
Bristol City48%
Sheff Wed52%
Attempts on target
Bristol City6
Sheff Wed7
Attempts off target
Bristol City4
Sheff Wed4
Corners
Bristol City6
Sheff Wed6
Fouls
Bristol City13
Sheff Wed15
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+4:57 The match has reached full-time.
90:00+4:16 Luke Varney takes a shot from deep inside the box clearing the bar.
90:00+2:51 Corner taken by Paul Hartley from the left by-line to the near post, Marcus Tudgay manages to make a clearance.
90:00+1:34 Foul by Lewis Buxton on Alvaro Saborio, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Paul Hartley.
90:00+1:02 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Frank Simek by Evander Sno. Lee Grant takes the direct free kick.
89:34 Darren Potter takes the outswinging corner, Header from close in by Marcus Tudgay misses to the left of the target.
89:06 Lobbed left-footed shot by Luke Varney. Dean Gerken makes a save.
87:39 Centre by Evander Sno.
87:14 Unfair challenge on Lewin Nyatanga by Leon Clarke results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Paul Hartley.
85:54 Nicky Maynard is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Indirect free kick taken by Lee Grant.
85:09 Paul Hartley delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from left wing, Frank Simek manages to make a clearance.
85:09 Booking Frank Simek is cautioned by the ref for unsporting behaviour.
84:54 Evander Sno fouled by Frank Simek, the ref awards a free kick.
81:34 Nicky Maynard takes a shot. Blocked by Frank Simek.
80:30 Header from deep inside the penalty area by Marvin Elliott goes harmlessly over the crossbar.
79:36 Substitution (Bristol City) makes a substitution, with Ivan Sproule coming on for Danny Haynes.
78:35 Danny Haynes takes a shot. Save made by Lee Grant.
77:24 Outswinging corner taken by Darren Potter from the right by-line played to the near post, Danny Haynes makes a clearance.
77:04 Luke Varney takes a shot. Save made by Dean Gerken.
76:14 The referee blows for offside against Leon Clarke. Paul Hartley takes the free kick.
74:16 Booking Luke Varney is cautioned.
74:13 Assist by Marcus Tudgay.
74:13 GOAL - Luke Varney:Bristol City 1 - 1 Sheff Wed A goal is scored by Luke Varney from just outside the area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Bristol City 1-1 Sheff Wed.
70:49 The ball is swung over by Jermaine Johnson, save by Dean Gerken.
70:19 Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Darren Potter played to the near post, Cole Skuse makes a clearance.
70:05 Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Darren Potter.
69:42 Luke Varney takes a shot. Paul Hartley gets a block in.
68:11 Foul by Jamie McAllister on Marcus Tudgay, free kick awarded. A cross is delivered by Darren Potter, Leon Clarke takes a shot. Brilliant save by Dean Gerken.
67:22 Nicky Maynard concedes a free kick for a foul on Richard Hinds. Direct free kick taken by Lewis Buxton.
64:19 Substitution Leon Clarke joins the action as a substitute, replacing Tommy Miller.
62:54 Corner from the left by-line taken by Paul Hartley, clearance by Richard Hinds.
62:41 The ball is delivered by Paul Hartley, clearance made by Frank Simek.
61:58 Shot from just outside the box by Evander Sno goes over the bar.
60:28 Evander Sno challenges Jermaine Johnson unfairly and gives away a free kick. Richard Hinds takes the direct free kick.
58:52 Alvaro Saborio provided the assist for the goal.
58:52 GOAL - Nicky Maynard:Bristol City 1 - 0 Sheff Wed A goal is scored by Nicky Maynard from close range low into the middle of the goal. Bristol City 1-0 Sheff Wed.
57:54 Corner taken by Paul Hartley, Tommy Miller makes a clearance.
57:13 Darren Potter crosses the ball from the free kick right-footed from right wing, Lewin Nyatanga manages to make a clearance.
57:13 Booking Jamie McAllister is shown a yellow card.
57:02 Jamie McAllister challenges Jermaine Johnson unfairly and gives away a free kick.
54:06 Marvin Elliott fouled by Tommy Spurr, the ref awards a free kick. Jamie McAllister produces a shot on goal direct from the free kick.
53:46 Frank Simek challenges Evander Sno unfairly and gives away a free kick. Paul Hartley restarts play with the free kick.
52:30 Alvaro Saborio gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Lewis Buxton. Lewis Buxton takes the direct free kick.
51:51 Unfair challenge on Darren Potter by Alvaro Saborio results in a free kick. Lee Grant restarts play with the free kick.
49:35 Marcus Tudgay fouled by Lewin Nyatanga, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Darren Potter.
48:21 Marcus Tudgay concedes a free kick for a foul on Lewin Nyatanga. Paul Hartley restarts play with the free kick.
47:33 Corner taken by Paul Hartley from the right by-line.
45:01 The referee starts the second half.
45:01 Substitution (Bristol City) makes a substitution, with Alvaro Saborio coming on for Louis Carey.
45:01 Substitution Paul Hartley replaces Lee Johnson.
Half Time
45:00+2:21 The half-time whistle blows.
45:00+1:48 Shot from just outside the box by Nicky Maynard goes over the target.
45:00+0:31 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Marvin Elliott by Luke Varney. Jamie McAllister delivers the ball from the free kick left-footed from left channel, Luke Varney manages to make a clearance.
44:54 Corner taken right-footed by Tommy Miller from the left by-line, Headed effort from inside the penalty area by Jermaine Johnson misses to the right of the target.
44:39 Centre by Tommy Spurr, blocked by Jamie McAllister.
44:12 Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Tommy Miller, clearance by Cole Skuse.
42:56 Free kick awarded for a foul by Louis Carey on Luke Varney. Free kick crossed right-footed by Darren Potter, clearance by Lewin Nyatanga.
40:25 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on James O'Connor by Evander Sno. Lewis Buxton takes the free kick.
38:23 The official flags Nicky Maynard offside. Indirect free kick taken by Lee Grant.
37:49 Luke Varney takes a shot. Dean Gerken makes a save.
37:32 Centre by Jermaine Johnson, Lewin Nyatanga manages to make a clearance.
36:18 Unfair challenge on Luke Varney by Cole Skuse results in a free kick. Darren Potter delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from left wing, clearance made by Evander Sno.
35:50 Marcus Tudgay fouled by Lewin Nyatanga, the ref awards a free kick. Darren Potter takes the free kick.
35:19 Shot from outside the box by Jermaine Johnson misses to the left of the target.
33:38 Headed effort from inside the area by Cole Skuse misses to the left of the goal.
31:56 Lewin Nyatanga concedes a free kick for a foul on Marcus Tudgay. Tommy Miller takes the direct free kick.
30:17 Nicky Maynard takes a shot. Save made by Lee Grant.
29:22 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Evander Sno by James O'Connor. Free kick crossed by Jamie McAllister, clearance made by Lewis Buxton.
28:47 The ball is crossed by Darren Potter, save by Dean Gerken.
27:10 The ball is crossed by Frank Simek, save made by Dean Gerken.
24:16 Nicky Maynard fouled by Frank Simek, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick crossed right-footed by Lee Johnson from left channel, save by Lee Grant.
23:22 Foul by Tommy Miller on Jamie McAllister, free kick awarded. Lewin Nyatanga takes the direct free kick.
21:57 Nicky Maynard produces a cross.
21:08 The ball is swung over by Tommy Spurr, clearance made by Evander Sno.
19:41 Foul by Darren Potter on Lee Johnson, free kick awarded. Jamie McAllister takes the free kick.
18:17 The ball is sent over by Jamie McAllister, Lewis Buxton manages to make a clearance.
17:54 Unfair challenge on Nicky Maynard by Lewis Buxton results in a free kick. Lee Johnson takes the direct free kick.
15:57 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Cole Skuse by James O'Connor. Louis Carey takes the direct free kick.
15:12 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Jamie McAllister, save by Lee Grant.
14:05 Handball decision goes against Danny Haynes. Lee Grant restarts play with the free kick.
13:29 The referee blows for offside against Danny Haynes. Indirect free kick taken by Lewis Buxton.
12:34 Jamie McAllister takes a inswinging corner from the right by-line to the near post.
11:59 Marvin Elliott takes a shot. Save by Lee Grant.
8:03 Luke Varney is ruled offside. Dean Gerken takes the direct free kick.
6:25 Free kick awarded for a foul by Lewis Buxton on Nicky Maynard. The free kick is delivered left-footed by Jamie McAllister from right channel.
4:23 The referee blows for offside. Lee Grant takes the indirect free kick.
1:57 Evander Sno fouled by Tommy Miller, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Dean Gerken.
1:33 Tommy Miller takes a shot. Save made by Dean Gerken.
0:00 The referee gets the game started.
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