Bristol City 0 – 0 Sheff Wed
Di’Shon Bernard starred in a resolute defence as Sheffield Wednesday defied heavy Bristol City pressure to earn a battling 0-0 draw in the Championship.
The centre-back was outstanding in a game of few clear chances, which ended in frustration for Liam Manning’s Robins and relief for the massed ranks of travelling Wednesday fans.
City had the better of the exchanges for much of the match, but failed to turn their possession into enough clear opportunities against Danny Rohl’s well-organised team.
Both managers made two changes, City bringing in Cameron Pring and Joe Williams, while Wednesday’s starting line-up included Bernard, back from suspension, and Anthony Musaba.
Neither side could create much in an opening 20 minutes that ended with Jason Knight shooting wide from City’s first worthwhile opportunity.
Both teams tried to build through midfield, but could not summon up the right final pass.
Defender Zak Vyner brought the first save from Owls goalkeeper James Beadle with a low 27th-minute shot and moments later fired wide from a better chance created by Anis Mehmeti’s cross from the left.
City were using the full width of the pitch with Mehmeti attacking down the left and Yu Hirakawa posing problems for Wednesday’s defence down the right.
Mehmeti almost broke the deadlock in the 34th minute finding himself unmarked 10 yards out and bringing a flying save from Beadle with a firm, well-placed header.
The home side were increasingly dominant, but could not make their pressure tell as Scott Twine fired wildly wide with an ambitious 40th-minute volley from distance.
The pattern stayed the same at the start of the second half, with City’s Joe Williams having a shot blocked for a corner.
Wednesday were struggling to feature as an attacking force, but with Bernard strongly marshalling a solid defence, they were hard to penetrate.
Both sides had penalty appeals turned down and each manager made changes around the hour mark.
Still the goals refused to come as Knight headed over for City and Barry Bannan shot wide from Wednesday’s best chance in the 70th minute.
That effort brought the travelling fans behind the goal to life and their team responded by forcing two corners in quick succession.
For the first time, the visitors enjoyed a spell of pressurising the home defence and Michael Smith headed straight at City goalkeeper Max O’Leary from another Bannan corner.
But it was City who created the last, and one of the best, chances of the game in stoppage time when substitutes Nahki Wells and Mark Sykes combined only for the latter to see his shot from a narrow angle saved by Beadle’s outstretched leg.
The managers
Bristol City’s Liam Manning:
“I guess it’s the way of the world. The lads didn’t deserve it (to be booed) because they put in a great shift and there were so many positives to take out of the performance.
“I would rather talk about that than the booing. But obviously it affects players and tonight it was disappointing, as well as unhelpful. I can’t control it, but it was unfair.
“I held my hands up after we lost at Blackburn because people weren’t competing or playing with enough energy, but in this game I thought we were excellent with the ball in the first half. It’s difficult to dominate a Championship game for 90 minutes.
“We want the fans with us, but everything in the world today is short-term. It’s the first time we have not scored here this season and, while we have a very frustrated dressing room because we always want to win, if we continue to play like that we will do well.”
Sheffield Wednesday’s Danny Rohl:
“Di’Shon is a young player and we can improve him. If he continues to play like he did tonight it will represent a huge step forwards and we will be very happy with him.
“Sometimes he has his ups and downs, but this performance now should be his benchmark.
“James Beadle was a gamechanger for us last season and I was delighted to keep him in the summer. He saved us points, as he did tonight, and I am convinced that in the future he will be a very big goalkeeper.
“It’s our first point away from home and more to build on after our win over West Bromwich Albion.
“The clean sheet was important because it gives you a chance to take something from games. We wanted to win and my substitutions at the end showed that, but all in all I am okay with the point.”
