SWANSEA CITY 0 BRISTOL CITY 0: We should have known what to expect. Since City were hammered 7-1 at Swansea there have been just two goals scored in games between these sides.

Two moments to remember from more than nine hours of action, and frankly there were very few occasions last night when the stalemate looked set to be broken.

There was no lack of effort from the combatants, but the quality on show was generally low.

Bristol City began well but faded towards half-time and then created just three second-half chances to cheer the 239 travelling fans at the Liberty Stadium.

Swansea almost won it in the 90th minute, when Jordi Lopez broke through but he got the ball caught under his feet when presented with the chance of the match, enabling the returning Adriano Basso to pull off a point-blank save.

And with the last kick of the game Cole Skuse volleyed low and straight at Dorus de Vries in a genuine example of excitement coming to those who wait.

A combination of injury and illness had forced the visitors to make three changes with skipper Louis Carey (knee), goalkeeper Dean Gerken (flu) and top scorer Nicky Maynard (virus) all out, while Brian Wilson and Skuse were benched.

So there was a switch from a 3-5-2 formation to 4-3-3 with Ivan Sproule and Evander Sno, who was making his full debut, asked to support frontman Alvaro Saborio.

Brazilian Basso made his first appearance of the season after his summer contract dispute, getting the nod over Stephen Henderson.

Following Paul Hartley's goal in the opening day 2-2 draw at Preston, six-goal Maynard is the only player to score for City this term.

Swansea had the first shot in anger when Joe Allen burst through midfield but fired his shot well over the bar from long range.

Then Allen had to do his defensive job when he cleared a Liam Fontaine header off the line from an in-swinging Jamie McAllister corner.

Sno had a tough introduction to the English game when home skipper Alan Tate overran the ball and caught the Dutchman's ankles, incurring the first yellow card of the game.

But City were warming to their task and Sproule tried his luck from range and saw his left-footed effort deflected wide.

Then Saborio's flick on set up Sno, but he blazed over the top from the angle of the box. And Bradley Orr's cross then found the head of Marvin Elliott but he could only loop his header over.

City's domination of the early chances continued when Sno turned inside youngster Ashley Richards but sliced his shot across goal and wide.

A rare moment of respite came for Swansea when they won a corner, but fortunately for the Robins it fell to defender Tate, who volleyed over the top.

And then an accelerating run from Nathan Dyer saw him burst through the left side of the City defence but he dragged his shot wide.

Swansea came closer still when Gorka Pintado's near-post corner was glanced on to the outside of a post and wide by the unmarked Cedric Van der Gun.

The half ended with Fontaine booked for blocking de Vries' goal-kick and the second period

began with Sno entering the referee's notebook for a foul on Richards.

Then Van der Gun almost broke the deadlock with another header from a corner but Basso palmed away his effort and Ashley Williams was unable to turn in the rebound.

Elliott had gone into the game with a foot injury and only passed a fitness test yesterday morning. He did well to last 69 minutes before being replaced by Skuse.

And there was worse news for City a minute later when the impressive Fontaine hobbled off to be replaced by Lewin Nyatanga.

Swansea continued to press and substitute Craig Beattie latched on to Allen's pass but Basso stood firm to make the save.

The Robins' first chance of the second half came when Sno chipped over a cross but Saborio got no power in a header that bounced into de Vries' arms.

Then Lee Johnson turned outside the Swansea left-back but his chip failed to trouble the Dutch keeper.

In a fiery finale, Jamie McCombe was booked for dissent and Jamie McAllister saw yellow for a lunge at Leon Britton.

Swansea City (4-3-2-1): de Vries; Richards, Tate, Williams, Bessone; Lopez, Allen (Britton 77), Orlandi (Bodde 69); Dyer, Van der Gun; Pintado (Beattie 65). Subs: Cornell, Idrisaj, Painter, MacDonald.

Bristol City (4-3-3): Basso; Orr, McCombe, Fontaine (Nyatanga 70), McAllister; Johnson, Hartley, Elliott (Skuse 69); Sproule, Saborio, Sno (Clarkson 85). Subs: Blackman, Wilson, Henderson, Williams.

Attendance: 12,859

Referee: Dean Whitestone (Northants)