Bristol City 2-2 Wigan: Pedro Pereira denies Wigan with late equaliser

Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash at Ashton Gate

By Max Mathews

Sunday 27 October 2019 17:43, UK

Bristol City scored another late goal to deny Wigan their first away victory of the season as the points were shared in a battling 2-2 draw at Ashton Gate.

City could have gone second in the Championship table with victory but were repelled by a Wigan side who are now three points clear of the relegation zone.

City's Andreas Weimann opened the scoring with a low shot six minutes before the break, but Wigan deservedly equalised shortly afterwards through Chey Dunkley.

The Latics came out firing after half-time and took the lead when Dunkley grabbed his second - and fifth of the season - with a strong header from another Joe Williams corner despite Dan Bentley's best efforts.

Pedro Pereira then scored his first City goal from a Niclas Eliasson corner to level the game with four minutes remaining, with the hosts missing their chance to go one point behind leaders West Brom.

How Bristol City denied Wigan with yet another late goal

Bristol City started brighter, with Callum O'Dowda - who drew an early booking from Antonee Robinson - and Kasey Palmer making threatening runs in the Wigan half.

But the Latics were giving as good as they got through Robinson and winger Gavin Massey down the left, and their endeavour led to a Jamal Lowe shot from just inside the area being blocked bravely by Ashley Williams.

Moments after Weimann headed straight at David Marshall from a testing Pedro Pereira cross, he broke the deadlock. Rodri's acrobatic shot was blocked, Tommy Rowe turned it back across the area and although Weimann didn't make clean contact, his effort had enough power to nutmeg Marshall.

However, Wigan pegged the hosts back almost immediately. Kieffer Moore flicked on an outswinging Williams corner under pressure from two defenders, and Dunkley escaped his marker to slam into the roof of the net past a helpless Bentley.

Wigan came out after the break fired-up, and although several corners came to nothing, the mounting pressure from set-pieces eventually paid off. Another fine Williams delivery was met first-time by Dunkley - towering above Nathan Baker - and Bentley got a hand to his header but neither he nor Weimann on the line could keep it out.

On the hour Wigan should have doubled their lead, but after Gavin Massey was played clean through by Moore's through ball, he wastefully shot straight at Dan Bentley with skipper Sam Morsy completely free on his left-hand side.

And that profligacy was punished just before the end. Full-back Pereira found himself completely unmarked in the box from an Eliasson corner to nod in an equaliser, denying a brave, battling Wigan their first away win of the season.

What the managers said

Bristol City boss Lee Johnson: "It doesn't feel like a win to me. I was disappointed. Obviously we need to improve from set-plays, top to bottom we've got to be better.

"Honestly, our injuries and suspensions caught up with us today. It wasn't the case of not having the players on the pitch, we had very good players on the pitch but the physicality wasn't there - that said, Wigan played very well.

"We're still a new team, with 15 new signings, so to be where we are with such a young squad and seven of our key players out is good."

Wigan boss Paul Cook: "We played really well, I thought we were the better team. We had the chance to go 3-1 up, to see the game out and we didn't, which is a real disappointment.

"Unless you win games, confidence is hard to come by. To come to places like this and be disappointed not to win is a benchmark for us.

"I'm not looking at the relegation zone yet! We've had three really good performances this week, the table doesn't reflect that but that's football."

Man of the match

Chey Dunkley was a colossus in both boxes for Wigan, repelling many of the chances which fell to the hosts.

He scored two - taking his tally for the season to five - and his composure and leadership stood out at the back for the visitors.

What's next?

Next Friday night, Bristol City travel to bottom side Barnsley, live on Sky Sports Football from 7pm (kick-off 7.45pm). on Saturday, Wigan host high-flying Swansea, also live on Sky Sports Football - coverage begins at 12pm, with kick-off at 12.30pm.