Jones the Boss seemed to sum this one up in his preview, commenting that we would have little idea how Bristol City would shape up against us, having been on a very poor run but having sacked their manager and brought in Hodgson. Before that move we would have looked at this fixture and thought we could be confident of a win, one which would ensure that we at least maintained the gap to the bottom three, even though early in the season we had been very pleased to come away from Ashton Gate with a 0-0 draw. A lot of water under the bridge since then. We still had those hopes of course, just mixed with a little more caution.
In the event, we didn’t play well enough to have complaints about a second consecutive home defeat by the odd goal. Bristol played with a fluency and purpose that caused us all sorts of problems defensively, especially in the opening period, finding space between our back three and dominating midfield. They might have scored before they did. The surprise was that we pulled level, with a rare piece of enterprising play between Dykes and Kelman, albeit after the officials had erroneously given us a throw-in. At the break you felt we were fortunate to be level but that now it would be a really good game to go on and win. Instead we conceded a horrible goal to fall behind again, then when throwing caution to the wind in the final stages came up against a goalkeeper in fine form, or failed to be clinical when the chances came, and our claims for deserving a point based on this period have to be balanced by the breakaways that Bristol failed to convert.
The starting XI was pretty familiar: Mannion keeping his place; Ramsay, Jones and Bell forming the central defensive three, flanked by Clarke and Chambers as the wing-backs; Coventry, Docherty and Carey retained in midfield; while up front Dykes returned from international duty seemingly unscathed and Kelman got the nod over Campbell (among the subs) to start alongside him. On the bench we would have the very welcome return of two faces: Godden and more surprisingly Knibbs were back available, with not in the squad (an ankle injury according to the club) and Gough missing out.
In the opening 15 minutes or so we barely got a kick – and when we did have the ball were unable to do anything with it, with a scared back line reluctant to venture forward and the midfield pressed back to try to plug the holes, leaving the front two isolated.
We were almost behind just two minutes in as our back three seemed to be caught out moving forward, by a routine pass between them, leaving their forward with a clear run on goal. To our good fortune he missed the target, his shot clipping the outside of the post. But it was to be only a temporary reprieve as on 10 minutes there was something of a repeat. A ball threaded through was tempting enough to Jones the Player to stretch for it. But he didn’t make it, leaving their guy to take a touch then bury it in the corner of the net. We know what a season Jones has had, and that he will walk away with the PotY award again, but he seemed culpable for both incidents in a shaky start to the game.
After the dreadful opening spell we did manage to make the next 15 more even, without looking in any way threatening. But remarkably on 29 minutes we drew level. The ball went out on our right side for what seemed to be a Bristol throw, but the officials thought otherwise and Clarke quickly threw down the line. Dykes and Kelman combined in a fashion seldom seen of late between two Charlton forwards, passing to each other. Kelman ended up playing the ball astutely inside for Dykes, but there still seemed little danger as the angle was very tight and no supporting options were available. Nevertheless, Dykes managed to poke the ball goalwards and placed it perfectly, to rebound in off the far post. An excellent goal and all the two forwards’ work, leaving aside a little help from the officials.
The goal did set them back and, coupled with greater aggression in midfield on our part, the remainder of the first half was a balanced affair. Bristol did have a cheeky long-range free-kick which nearly caught out Mannion, we had some set pieces which caused them problems. But at the break you felt that if we could raise our game, attacking the Covered End, we could come away with the points.
That didn’t happen. Instead we began again rather tentatively, some incoherent play at the back resulting in a corner needlessly given away. Then on 54 minutes Coventry was adjudged to have fouled their guy on the edge of the box in a central position. That free-kick came to nothing, but we didn’t learn the lesson and just two minutes later Jones was penalised for a challenge, this time left-of-centre. The effort sent in took a deflection and clearly deceived Mannion, who pushed it to the side but not decisively. The ball seemed to be still going in and he managed to claw it away, but only to their guy running in. Confusingly he made a mess of it but the ball still found its way over Mannion and over the line before Ramsay could reach it. It looked a dreadful goal to concede, but not one you could simply label a goalkeeper howler.
We almost equalised again straight away as Bell and Ramsay down the right managed to set up Carey for an effort from close range, but he sent his shot wide. As the game opened up, Bristol twice almost added to their lead, first with a shot from a narrow angle which Mannion pushed away, then another save from him.
After the hour Jones the Boss made the first of his changes, with Campbell and Fullah introduced for Chambers and Kelman, pointing to a sort of 4-5-1. There was no decisive change to the pattern of the game, although we did come close as a Clarke cross was not dealt with and the move ended with a Fullah shot bringing a decent save.
On 78 minutes we began the devil-may-care finale, with Rankin-Costello and Godden replacing Coventry and Clarke. And on 81 minutes it was so nearly 2-2. A ball into the box was headed on by Jones and Godden was in. He shot low but their keeper somehow managed to get a leg in the way and the rebound didn’t drop to one of ours. That was followed by the first of Bristol’s clear breakaways against a team focused on attack, although they didn’t make the most of the space they had. Then on 85 minutes it was Ferrier for Docherty, with Campbell and Ferrier operating down the flanks and Dykes and Godden in the middle.
We did give it everything we had. Ferrier caused them no end of problems down the right and on 86 minutes an excellent cross from him found Campbell in space at the far post. He had to wait for the ball to come down but didn’t manage to compose himself and sent his shot badly wide. Dykes headed over the bar, then just before stoppage time a pass was intercepted and suddenly Bristol were in again, this time denied by a very well-time Ramsay tackle.
In the five minutes of stoppage time Campbell set up Rankin-Costello, only for his shot to be saved. From a corner Mannion came up and Bristol broke with three on two. Somehow Mannion made it back in time to make the save, then Godden was played in behind their defence but pulled his shot just wide. Another corner and a final long throw came to nothing and the whistle went.
A frustrating and potentially still very damaging result. My abiding thought after the game was that we continue to struggle when the gameplan is more than defend like dogs and hope to nick one at the other end. When the team goes out with that mentality the defence and midfield do an excellent job of protecting our goal. When, especially at home, we are inclined to think we ought to play a more open game we tend to come unstuck, usually falling behind and leaving it to a late onslaught taking risks to get anything from the game.
None of this matters if we go to Watford and grind out something, a draw or a win. Six games left and still a seven/eight points gap to the bottom three – but of course teams below us will pick up points on Monday as the six below us are playing each other. We can do nothing about those results, but we can steady the ship by getting something from Watford. Starting with another of those very welcome clean sheets.
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