Maupay earns a point for Bees at Bristol City

Bristol City 1 Brentford 1

Neal Maupay smashed home his 15th goal of the season to earn the Bees a deserved away point.

Ollie Watkins provided the crucial ammunition, after chased the ball to the byline before feeding Maupay with a perfect cut-back.

The hosts were almost ahead again soon after, when their main marksman, Famara Diedhiou, glanced a near post cross inches wide, but Watkins came even closer with a snap-shot from just outside the box which had to be helped over the bar.

Maupay then came agonisingly close to bagging a second with a low shot which flew just the wrong side of the post as Thomas Frank’s men came within a whisker of claiming their first Championship away win of the campaign.

The Bees were unlucky to be trailing at the interval, having been punished for allowing defender Eros Pisano a free header at a corner in the 20th minute.

They responded well to going a goal down, enjoying the lion’s share of possession, and going close to levelling on several occasions.

Their high-pressing game was almost rewarded when Henrik Halsgaard stole the ball from Lloyd Kelly and rolled the ball across the penalty area for Watkins to drill a left footer which almost crept inside Niki Maenpaa’s left-hand post.

Maupay might have scored in the first half too, but headed over from a Said Benrahma cross, while Benrahma himself flashed across the face of goal after Kamohelo Mokotjo had won the ball on half way.

Right on half-time, Watkins should have found the target, after Dalsgaard had been played into space on the right and cut back an inviting cross.