Conceding another late Gate goal was so disappointing

I AM sure the vast majority of Bristol City fans would have taken a 2-2 draw and a point against West Bromwich Albion before 3pm on Saturday. However, after the performance against as poor a West Brom team I can recall having seen, and leading as we entered the last minute of added-on time, it’s hard not to be really disappointed.

I saw a tweet on social media that said we have now played 20 home league games this season and have conceded stoppage-time goals in an unbelievable eight of those games, nine goals in total. In six of those games, the late goals have cost us 11 points. It’s got to the stage now that when we are leading in games and the board goes up for added-on time, nothing is taken for granted.

It was a pretty uneventful opening period, both teams struggling with the windy conditions and unable to get the ball down and play. They were both cancelling each other out and then out of nothing City took the lead. Andi Weimann got in behind the Baggies defence and squared a perfect ball across the goal and Nahki Wells finished with aplomb.

At half-time, after a fairly inauspicious start, most City fans will have been pleased. The Robins were the better side after the goal from Wells and should have increased their lead.

Unsurprisingly, West Brom did improve after the break but City were looking composed at the back and Dan Bentley wasn’t troubled. Han Noah Massengo and Matty James were dropping back in to help Robbie Cundy, Timm Klose and Cam Pring when needed, with Massengo in particular making a number of important interceptions, reading the play well and tracking the opposition.

It was looking a fairly comfortable afternoon and then we shot ourselves in the foot. Dan Bentley who was a penalty hero a week ago, came out to punch a ball into the box and missed his contact and instead landed one on Baggies player Bartley and the ref pointed to the spot. Karlan Grant hit his shot down the centre of the goal. I do wonder just how many spot-kicks would be saved if the ‘keeper had the nerve to stand their ground?

City regained the lead when Rob Atkinson rose imperiously to head the ball to Weimann at the back post and the Austrian fired another firsttime volley into the roof of the net. But, unfortunately, City again failed to manage the game out.