Full-time: Bristol City 1 Leicester City 1. Bristol City suffered last-gasp heartache again as promotion-chasing Leicester spoiled the Ashton Gate party.

Having waited three games to see their side score a goal, Robins fans were in seventh heaven when canny Scot David Clarkson fired them in front in the first minute of injury-time.

But the home side were cruelly denied victory when the Foxes broke away to poach a dramatic equaliser less than a minute later, Lloyd Dyer taking advantage of a costly lapse in concentration to carve his way through the middle of City's defence and beat keeper Dean Gerken with a low shot which made the net bulge.

It was a bitter pill to swallow for a City side which thought it had done enough to deliver a much-needed first victory in six Championship games.

Victory would have afforded Gary Johnson's side precious breathing space in their quest to remain clear of the relegation dogfight, but they had to be content with a point after conceding the yet another late goal at Ashton Gate.

At least they restored some lost pride after the limp defeats at Watford and Sheffield United and their spirited performance will stand them in good stead ahead of Sunday's home game against promotion favourites West Bromwich Albion.

Although Leicester probably deserved a draw, they were indebted to former City goalkeeper Chris Weale, who pulled off a string of fine saves as the Robins gave it everything they had in a pulsating second half.

Fragile confidence dictated that City required the reassurance of a solid start, but they almost fell behind in the very first minute.

Opened up by a long ball down the middle, City's back four allowed Martyn Waghorn a clear sight of goal and only a superb last-ditch challenge from the covering Liam Fontaine prevented the Foxes taking the lead. From the resultant corner, Matt Oakley had a shot blocked as alarm bells continued to ring in the home defence.

City soon regained their composure and created an opportunity of their own, David Clarkson going shoulder to shoulder with Wayne Brown, only to scuff his shot and permit Chris Weale to make a comfortable save.

In buoyant mood following Saturday's 5-1 demolition of Scunthorpe, Leicester were prepared to attack in numbers and sustained pressure yielded a free-kick 25 yards from goal which Paul Gallagher bent around the wall, forcing Dean Gerken to make a scrambling save.

Although they had failed to score the first goal in any of their last six outings, City came desperately close to doing so in the 13th minute, Louis Carey anticipating Lee Johnson's lofted free-kick into the penalty area and sending a thunderous volley inches over the cross bar.

Leicester continued to look dangerous on the break and Lloyd Dyer surged into City's 1- yard box, took a return pass from Gallagher in his stride and was denied a shooting opportunity only by Bradley Orr's forthright challenge.

Gallagher sent another long-range free kick just wide and then met a Ritchie Wellens cross with a powerful header which Gerken somehow clawed behind for a corner. City's defence was caught napping by a quickly-taken flag-kick and Wellens was allowed time and space in which to let fly with a rising shot which cleared the bar.

City were struggling to get their passing game going and when they did manage to construct a meaningful attack, Cole Skuse shot high and wide when Clarkson was better placed and screaming for the ball.

The home side commenced the second half as though they meant business and twice carved open Leicester's defence in quick succession. If Clarkson's tame shot failed to trouble Weale, Danny Haynes threatened something altogether more meaningful, skipping past two blue-shirted defenders and racing to the edge of the six-yard box, only to find the side-netting when a goal seemed a near certainty.

Chances were materialising at both ends and Bruno Berner, lurking at the back post, missed his kick and landed flat on his backside when the minimum requirement was a shot on target.

Waghorn did rather better when Leicester next attacked, meeting Michael Morrison's teasing centre with a spectacular scissors kick which flashed just wide of Gerken's goal.

City were fortunate to survive moments later, Sunderland striker Waghorn playing in Oakley, whose toe-poked shot came back off the base of a post and allowed a relieved Gerken to fall on the ball.

City boss Johnson played his trump card with 17 minutes remaining, sending on fit-again top-scorer Nicky Maynard, and the new arrival immediately made his presence felt, swinging over a superb cross for Lee Johnson, whose sweetly-struck volley drew a smart reaction save from former Robins keeper Weale. The ball rebounded only as far as Clarkson, who hooked his shot agonisingly wide.

Johnson was becoming increasingly influential and his coruscating run and perfectly-weighted pass invited Clarkson to unleash a shot which required Weale to make another startling save as City piled on the pressure in a brave bid to conjure an elusive victory.

Clarkson thought he had delivered the victory all of Ashton Gate craved, only for Dyer to break City hearts at the death.

City (4-3-3): Gerken; Orr, Carey, Fontaine, Nyatanga; Skuse (Sproule 59), Elliott, Johnson; Haynes (Maynard 73), Iwelumo, Clarkson.

Leicester (4-4-2): Weale; Brown, Berner, Hobbs, Morrison; King, Dyer, Oakley (Adams 73), Wellens; Gallagher (N'Guessan 88), Waghorn (Kermogant 73).

Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire)

Attendance: 13,746