Bristol City denied as 'goal' not given despite ball crossing the line

Bristol City 0 Swansea 0: If yet more evidence was required to demonstrate the urgent need for goalline technology, then it was presented here in abundance.

FIFA, football's governing body, abandoned plans to introduce a Hawkeye system designed to determine whether or not the ball has crossed the line in March this year.

Had any of the officials responsible for that decision been present at Ashton Gate on Saturday afternoon, they might well have been moved to reconsider their stance.

Controversy flared 11 minutes into the second half when City midfielder Marvin Elliott rose to meet Michael McIndoe's inviting cross with a downward header at the far post.

The ball beat Swans keeper Dorus De Vries, passed between a defender's legs and was eventually hacked clear by centre-back Ashley Williams – but not before it appeared to cross the line.

In no position to judge for himself and with his linesman unsighted, referee Lee Mason had little option but to turn down fervant City appeals and wave play on.

But those better-placed than he to see what had happened were in no doubt. City players Ivan Sproule and Stern John launched an appeal which was taken up with gusto by those fans immediately behind the goal in the Atyeo Stand.

While Elliott claimed he had no idea whether the ball had crossed the line or not, Swansea keeper De Vries later gave the game away when quizzed by journalists in the post-match press conference, admitting his side had been fortunate to escape.

He said: "I'm not 100 per cent sure, but I think it was a goal." DVD evidence later confirmed the Dutchman's suspicions.

Not that that will make Elliott and his team-mates feel any better. Held to draws in seven of their 11 home games this season, City have lost the knack of converting encouraging performances into wins, a failing which explains their position below halfway in the Championship table.

Had Elliott's 'goal' been allowed to stand, it would have been no more than City deserved. Not only did the home side successfully stifle Swansea's Continental-style passing game, they also created by far the better chances in front of goal.

Elliott spoke for his teammates when he said: "It's so frustrating. People are telling me the ball crossed the line and that it should have been a goal.

"But the referee hasn't given it and there's nothing we can do about it now. We feel we did enough to take the three points, but we're left with one and we have to get over it and move on.

"I couldn't really see whether the ball crossed the line or not, but some of the other lads said it clearly did. If that's the case, then it's disappointing, because that would have given us all a huge lift and changed the game."

City may have won only one of their last nine games and proved victorious on home soil just twice this season, but at least they can take some crumbs of encouragement from this latest performance.

In the injury-enforced absence of Lee Johnson, Cole Skuse was handed a rare opportunity to forge an alliance with Elliott in the centre of midfield and City proved more solid and less vulnerable to the counter-attack than in recent weeks.

Similarly, the deployment of natural wingers Ivan Sproule and Michael McIndoe on the right and left flanks respectively lent City a good shape and ensured the supply lines to Nicky Maynard and Stern John were kept open.

Although the home side carved out numerous goal-scoring opportunities, they were once again frustrated by weak finishing and a keeper in inspired form.

No matter that the chance which came John's way midway through the second half should have been put away, the reflex dive which enabled De Vries to claw his close-range header to safety represented a remarkable save.

It was a similar story when Louis Carey met McIndoe's whipped free kick with a glancing header which looked to be a goal all the way until the Dutchman somehow applied a fingertip touch to push the ball around the post.

John headed over from six yards when unmarked and then shot wide when well-placed as City continued to fire blanks.

Of course, if you cannot score, then it becomes still more important not to concede, and, for the most part, City restricted their opponents to long-range attempts through hard work and determination.

On the rare occasions the Swans were permitted time and space to play with fluency, they found Adriano Basso standing in their way. City's Brazilian last line of defence made one startling diving save to tip Darren Pratley's exquisite chip shot over the bar and then stood his ground to keep out efforts from substitutes Gorka Pintado and Alan Tate.

In doing so, he safeguarded the point which represented the very least his side deserved.

It may be nearly two months since the Robins won at home, but this performance will at least encourage them to believe they can avenge last season's 6-0 drubbing at the hands of Ipswich when they return to Portman Road on Wednesday night.