No shine for Silva’s men

MARCO SILVA insisted Bristol City’s equaliser in an Ashton Gate thriller should have been disallowed.

The Fulham boss admitted that failure to cash in on countless chances ultimately cost his team after Aleksandar Mitrovic had headed them into a 50th-minute lead.

But Silva was also adamant that City substitute Kasey Palmer was “clearly offside” when volleying a 79th-minute equaliser following a brilliant Paulo Gazzaniga save from Chris Martin.

“It wasn’t a difficult decision,” said Silva. “I have seen a replay but I knew at the time from the bench that it was offside.

“How the linesman has missed it from his position, I don’t know. But on top of our missed opportunities, one poor decision has gone against us.

“I wasn’t happy with our first-half display. But we made a couple of changes and the second half was much better.

“The substitutes made an impact, but the whole team played with more

Fulham’s right. purpose. We just have to be calmer with our finishing.”

Mitrovic nodded in from close range after Harry Wilson had headed a cross from one of the substitutes, Neeskens Kebano, back across goal.

But after Palmer had levelled from a narrow angle just three minutes after taking the field, it was Mitrovic who squandered three golden chances in the closing moments.

Twice the striker shot wide when he should have scored, while his third effort clipped the crossbar.

Jean Michael Seri also saw a late effort deflected against the woodwork but City also created chances in an end-to-end game and deserved something from a committed display.

Boss Nigel Pearson said: “The players showed great tenacity against good opponents. While Fulham could have had more goals, so could we.

“I am not kidding myself and we have a lot of work still to do. But the players know their jobs and that they have to defend as a team.”

Pearson praised the home debut of right-back George Tanner, a summer signing from Carlisle

United, but was again frustrated by a home record that now reads 15 games without a win.

“That continues to be a concern,” he said. “But the players are giving everything to turn home results around and if that continues it will happen.”

FLASHPOINT Palmer celebrates but Fulham were left fuming BRISTOL CITY: Bentley 8; Tanner 7 (Palmer 76, 8), Kalas 7, Atkinson 7, Dasilva 6; Weimann 6, James 6, Bakinson 6 (Williams 63, 6), Pring 6 (Baker 63, 7); Martin 7, Wells 7. Unused Subs: O’leary, Simpson, King, O’dowda. FULHAM: Gazzaniga 8; Odoi 7, Tosin 7, Ream 7, Robinson 7; Seri 7, Chalobah 6 (Reed 46, 7); Wilson 9, Onomah 6 (Kebano 46, 8), Decordova-reid 7 Cavaleiro 88); Mitrovic 8. Unused Subs: Rodak. Muniz, Bryan, Mawson. MAN OF THE MATCH: Harry Wilson. City found it hard to contain the midfielder on Simon Hooper 8.