Bristol City 1 Coventry 1

DAVID Clarkson scored for the first time in more than six months to rescue City from a second successive defeat at Ashton Gate.

Trounced 6-0 by Cardiff in their last home game, the Robins appeared to be slipping to another defeat in front of their home fans when David Bell fired Coventry ahead at the start of the second half.

But City dug deep and, roared on by a passionate crowd, conjured a precious equaliser with eight minutes remaining.

A 74^th minute replacement for Lewin Nyatanga, Clarkson was in the right place at the right time to sweep in his first goal since the opening day of the season to offer much-needed relief to City manager Gary Johnson.

And the Scot almost came up with a winner in time added on when sending a header agonisingly wide of the target with Coventry’s defence at full stretch.

But City were simply unable to deliver the winner which their second half performance merited and they had to be content with a draw which will do little to improve their play-off prospects.

Forced to make do without the injured Cole Skuse, City manager Gary Johnson then had to make an unscheduled change shortly before kick-off. Jamal Campbell-Ryce aggravated a thigh problem and his place in the starting line-up was taken by Dutch midfielder Evander Sno.

Beaten 6-0 in their last home game, City’s players had to win back the trust of supporters, some of whom had demanded a change of management. And the Robins began in positive fashion, forcing the issue and pushing the Sky Blues back.

Not surprisingly given their record of one win in six games, Coventry put men behind the ball, worked hard to close down and attempted to frustrate the home side. Consequently, City were restricted to efforts from range during the opening exchanges, the best of them conjured by marauding striker Patrick Agyemang, who cut inside his marker and sent a dipping shot just over Keiren Westwood’s cross bar.

Paul Hartley set the pulse racing briefly when embarking on a surging run and feeding Agyemang, who was tripped on the edge of the penalty area by Stephen Wright. Referee Graham Horwood ignored calls to issue a yellow card and Hartley then blotted his copybook by directing the subsequent free kick into the defensive wall.

Coventry finally flexed their muscles in the 20^th minute, former Ashton Gate favourite Michael McIndoe swinging over a deep centre which forced keeper Dean Gerken to palm clear from under his bar.

Just as the crowd were beginning to vent their frustration, City found a way through a packed defence. Bradley Orr found Nicky Maynard in space with a long ball over the top and the 11-goal top scorer looked certain to break the deadlock until James McPake stretched every sinew to affect a crucial intervention.

By and large, it was pretty tame fare and there was precious little to bring either set of fans out of their seats.

Bristolians suddenly found their voices when Agyemang carried the ball deep into Coventry territory and found Jamie McAllister, whose first-time shot brought a smart save from Wales international keeper Westwood.

Many supporters were still returning to their seats when the Sky Blues went ahead 53 seconds into the second half.

Sammy Clingan’s shot was blocked by a red-shirted defender, only for the ball to roll invitingly into the path of Bell, whose sweetly-struck 20-yard drive beat Gerken’s despairing dive and found the corner of the net.

Trailing at home once again, City desperately needed a shot in the arm and manager Johnson made two changes in the space of five minutes, sending on Danny Haynes and Ivan Sproule in place of the ineffective Maynard and Sno respectively.

Haynes was involved almost immediately, forcing his way through the defence and creating an opportunity for Agyemang, whose first-time effort ballooned over the bar.

The substitute then went close to scoring himself, seizing upon Martin Cranie’s ill-judged back pass, skipping past Westwood and sliding his shot inches beyond the far post.

City were pressing hard for an equaliser and it nearly materialised on 66 minutes, Louis Carey nodding down McAllister’s testing cross and Lewin Nyatanga sending his header wide of the target from 10 yards out.

Haynes then met Orr’s deep centre with a header which floated harmlessly behind for a goal kick, while Agyemang’s angled shot proved meat and drink to Westwood.

Staunch in defence, Coventry remained a threat on the break and Liam Fontaine had to make a last-ditch clearance after McIndoe had set up Morrison with a superb cross-field pass.

City boss Johnson played his final card with 16 minutes remaining, withdrawing Nyatanga and sending on David Clarkson. And the Scottish forward almost profited from arguably City’s best move of the match, Haynes finding Agyemang, whose cross-cum-shot narrowly eluded Clarkson at the far post.

But the Scot did considerably better moments later. McAllister sent over another probing centre, Carey nodded the ball into Clarkson’s path and the former Motherwell man stroked in his second goal of the season to restore parity.

City (3-5-2): Gerken; Carey, Fontaine, Nyatanga (Clarkson 74); Orr, Elliott, Hartley, Sno (56), McAllister; Maynard (Haynes 52), Agyemang.

Coventry (4-4-2): Westwood; Wright, McPake, Wood, Cranie; Bell, Gunnarsson, Clingan, McIndoe; Morrison, Eastwood (Baker 76).

Referee: Graham Horwood (Bedfordshire)

Attendance: 13,852