Bristol C 1 – 1 Wigan

Ashley Fletcher secured a point for Wigan as Shaun Maloney’s impressive start as manager continued with a 1-1 SkyBet Championship draw at Bristol City.

The in-form hosts took a 36th-minute lead when centre-back Rob Atkinson got forward to powerfully head home a left-wing cross from midfielder Anis Mehmeti, making his first start since signing from Wycombe.

But Wigan hit back on 65 minutes, Fletcher finding himself unmarked in the centre of goal six yards out with time to control a Max Power cross from the right and slide his shot under the diving Max O’Leary.

It’s now a win and two draws for the Latics under Maloney. The result extended City’s unbeaten run to 10 games, but they had to settle for a point after hitting the woodwork twice in the second half.

The home side were first to threaten on eight minutes when Alex Scott let fly from 25 yards and just cleared the crossbar.

Thelo Aasgaard had a shot blocked for a Wigan corner on 14 minutes and moments later City had to scramble clear a Charlie Hughes header.

Mehmeti’s dangerous 22nd-minute cross set up Scott, who wanted too many touches in front of goal.

When City were awarded a free-kick near just inside their own half, Atkinson pushed forward expecting a high ball into the box.

Instead, Matty James played the ball down the left touchline to Mehmeti, who jinked inside and delivered a perfect ball for the centre-back to head home from eight yards.

City looked to be defending their lead comfortably as half-time approached but then Christ Tiehi unleashed a superb strike from outside the box that clipped the bar with O’Leary beaten.

Maloney’s side began the second period brightly, James McLean’s header being blocked for a corner. Then O’Leary had to gather a deflected shot from Tiehi.

The home fans were getting anxious as a ball from the right flashed across O’Leary’s goalmouth with no Wigan player on hand to get a final touch.

Pearson responded by sending on Nahki Wells for Cornick up front. But Fletcher’s equaliser came as no great surprise.

City raised their game and an Andreas Weimann centre found no takers as the ball was driven across goal. On 70 minutes, Scott headed against the bar from a Joe Williams cross.

The woodwork was struck again soon afterwards as Mehmeti’s cross from the left drifted over goalkeeper Ben Amos and came back off the far post.

The managers

Bristol City’s Nigel Pearson:

“I’m disappointed not to have won the game, but that is a measure of how far we have come, not just during the unbeaten run, but over the past two years. We conceded a scruffy goal, but responded pretty well and if either side was going to win it, I think it was going to be us. It wasn’t the best of games and sometimes you have to give the opposition credit. Wigan did not allow us any space in behind them.

“They are a side who are scrapping and having to be organised. I am sure they will be OK this season. It wasn’t an easy game for us, but I still felt we were the better side, without doing enough to win the game. mHitting the woodwork creates excitement in the crowd. But we had a lot of better situations that needed a more clinical edge, while they didn’t really create anything.”

Wigan’s Shaun Maloney:

“Having had some time to work with the lads, I am confident we can get out of the situation we are in. Tonight, I am happiest of the three matches because we had to make changes at half-time and the players responded. I asked for more from the lads and they came up with it. The three subs I sent on at the break did well, as did our later one, and in the end I am very happy with the performance.

“The players are giving me everything and scrapping for every point. But there is still a lot of work to do and that will continue tomorrow. Bristol hurt us at times in the first half and I didn’t think we were aggressive enough in possession. I wanted a different profile. It is the players who change games and they did that in the second half, so I’m very happy.”