Lita is caught offside early on. Clayton Fortune beats Sam Parkin to the first high ball into the box. Parkin then has a header well saved by Steve Phillips from point blank range. Lita has a shot just wide after good work by Cotterill. The game has started at a frantic pace. Luke Wilkshire concedes the first corner. Rory Fallon has a free header but it is blocked away from danger by Clayton Fortune who should have been picking him up.
Cotterill is brought down but nothing is given as the ball goes out for a goal kick. A Bradley Orr cross is met by Steve Brooker but deflects tamely into the arms of Rhys Evans. Cotterill brings down Brian Howard and Swindon have a free kick on the edge of the penalty area. Grant Smith hits the wall and on the follow up Phillips saves well. City break and Luke Wilkshire goes down theatrically and the referee rightly gives nothing.
Brooker goes down injured appearing to catch a boot in the face, the referee allows play to continue with an obvious head injury normally meaning that play is stopped. A superb drilled cross by Cotterill just evades Brooker's stretch. City concede a corner from which Parkin hits the bar and Phillips smothers. A Golbourne cross is punched clear with Lita threatening. City win a free kick which Wilkshire swings in dangerously but it is cleared.
Rory Fallon has a first time shot on the break which Steve Phillips tips onto the inside of the post across his goal line and out for a corner. At the other end a snap shot from Leroy Lita flashes wide. City win a corner as Matt Hayward heads behind when not under any pressure, but it comes to nothing. Cotterill has a shot from the edge of the area comfortably saved by Evans. He then breaks into the area but Smith tackles him at the expense of a corner. Tommy Doherty is booked for throwing the ball down when a free kick is given against him.
Lee Miller has scored again for Hearts and his transfer fee goes up another couple of quid.
Sammy Igoe runs into the City penalty and has a shot which Phillips watches carefully as it goes for a goal kick. Fallon heads over from ten yards. A Cotterill shot from 40 yards goes over. Cotterill combines well with Lita whose shot is deflected for a corner which Swindon deal with as the half time whistle goes.
Swindon have made the better chances but City have been in the game with Cotterill in particular having a good game. Both teams seem to be relaxed in the knowledge that their play off chances are effectively over.
HT 0-0
Nothing much happens in the first ten minutes of the second half, then the excitement is raised as Lita is flagged offside. Lita has a good run and his cross shot is deflected for a corner en route to Steve Brooker. The corner comes to nothing. Another good run from Lita is thwrted by a good Matt Hayward tackle and on the break Swindon shoot into the side netting. Cotterill bursts clear but shoots wide when put through by Brooker.
Lita's shot is tipped behind by Evans after a good flick on by Clayton Fortune. Swindon break from the corner and Bradley Orr brings his man down and is lucky to escape a booking. O'Hanlon has an effort across goal that goes wide. A long free kick into City's area is dealt with by Phillips. Cotterill spins his man and shoots from distance but Rhys Evans saves.
A flying header from Sam Parkin goes wide. Miglioranzi is replaced by David Duke for Swindon. City concede a corner, which Phillips misses but Parkin heads wide. A City free kick is kept in well by Tommy Doherty but Cotterill's cross can't quite find a City player. Wilkshire shoots straight at Evans from 20 yards. Lita is penalised for out muscling Jerel Ifil who is at least a foot taller than him.
Fallon manages to head over from 8 yards as Swindon miss another clear chance. Brooker wins a free kick when challenging for a Phillips punt on the edge of the area. The free kick comes to nothing. Scott Brown comes on for Luke Wilkshire, and Scott Murray comes on for Dave Cotterill with ten minutes left. Bradley Orr clears well from a whipped in free kick. Parkin heads over from another free header. Igoe wastes another chance when free a yard out somehow failing to connect on a Sam Parkin cushioned header.
Four minutes left and Swindon break Clayton Fortune tracks back with Sam Parkin clear on goal and makes a match saving tackle. Grant Smith is booked as City win a free kick from which Brooker heads just wide. Scott Brown makes a two-footed tackle and is booked. Two minutes of added time is announced. Paul Heffernan comes on for Steve Brooker. The match seems to be heading for Swindon's first goalless draw since October 2003.
The game ends 0-0 with City going up a place but still seven points behind sixth spot. Swindon had the better chances but were guilty of some glaring misses. City were restricted to a few long distance efforts.
FT 0-0
Attendance 6,977
Teams
Swindon
R Evans, M Heywood, J Ifil, S O'Hanlon, S Jenkins, S Igoe, S Miglioranzi, B Howard, G Smith, R Fallon, S Parkin
Subs: S Book, A Caton, M Pook, D Duke, B Wells
Bristol City
S Phillips, L Carey, C Fortune, B Orr, J Smith, L Wilkshire, T Doherty, S Golbourne, D Cotterill, L Lita, S Brooker
Subs: S Murray, P Heffernan, M Bell, S Brown, C Skuse
Ref: T Bates
|
