Olivier Ntcham came off the bench to help Swansea produce one of the close football scores of the weekend in the Championship. When Tommy Conway pounced on a Nahki Wells ball and drilled home his eighth goal of the year from 12 yards, Nigel Pearson’s team earned a well-deserved lead. On 76 minutes, however, Ntcham of Swansea equalized with a 20-yard volley after a corner was cleared into his path. Bristol was punished for not being more proficient in front of goal as the intriguing Championship match came to a close. Before the game began, Pearson’s already thin team took a hit when defender Rob Atkinson withdrew due to the illness that had afflicted several players earlier in the week.
From the bench, Cameron Pring was given the opportunity to start for Swansea, who had a sizable traveling support. The home team put on a strong first-half performance and may have been out of sight by halftime despite missing many players, including four center-backs. Antoine Semenyo struck from close range in the 10th minute, but Swansea goalkeeper Steven Benda made a miraculous stop on his line. The striker really shouldn’t have given him a chance. Conway’s goal wasn’t a surprise because Bristol’s front three—with Semenyo playing directly behind the goal scorer and Wells—were giving the visitors a lot of trouble.
Ntcham, Swansea’s second substitute, had a shot blocked in the 67th minute but was able to direct the rebound directly at O’Leary. By the time the game reached the 71st minute, Martin had made five substitutions, bringing on Kyle Naughton, Jamie Paterson, an ex-player from Bristol, and Armstrong Oko-Flex. Before Pearson substituted Chris Martin and Sam Bell for Semenyo and Wells up front, Ntcham scored a goal. Three minutes later, Ntcham’s goal restored parity. Swansea’s subsequent pressure led to numerous additional corners as the visitors sought for a victory.
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