Ben Brereton rescues a point for Blackburn Rovers at Bristol City

Brereton’s 75th minute strike was Rovers’ sole shot on target at Ashton Gate and having trailed to Callum O’Dowda’s 35th minute goal they will view it as a point gained.

They were second best in the first half and had to wait until the hour mark for their first attempt at goal, but their improved display after the interval warranted the point they left with.

The one disappointment was losing Ian Poveda to what looked to be a serious injury on the stroke of half time, the Leeds United loanee leaving the pitch on a stretcher with his leg in a brace.

His replacement, Daniel Ayala, was faultless when coming on however as Rovers looked much more solid in a back three.

For only a second time this season Tony Mowbray named the same team, the one change coming on the bench as Daniel Ayala replaced Hayden Carter.

The plan was clear for Rovers to use the pace of Ian Poveda and Reda Khadra on the break against the back three of the hosts.

There was an open feel to the game from the off but clear that Rovers need to win more second balls in a bid to get a foothold in the game.

There were indebted to a Thomas Kaminski save to stop the hosts running into an early lead.

A susceptibility from set plays saw Scott Wharton inadvertently turn the ball towards his own goal following a near post flick on, but the quick reactions of Kaminski were there to turn the ball to safety.

Darragh Lenihan then came up with a goal-saving block when Tyreeq Bakinson was teed up by an O’Dowda cross, and that wouldn’t be the first time the Irishman would get the better of Ryan Nyambe who was enduring a half to forget.

Khadra did offer something by way of a riposte with a 45-yard break that saw him ghost beyond four players, before trying to beat one too many as the hosts got numbers back to clear.

But while there were many nearly moments for Rovers, they struggled to show the clinical edge needed in their attacking play to make the most of their counter-attacking opportunities.

For the most part it was the hosts making the running, a succession of corners and long throws kept Rovers pinned back.

From a right-wing cross it required Ben Brereton to turn the ball away from Andreas Weimann as he waited to apply the finishing touch inside the six-yard box.

Nyambe was then booked for pulling down O’Dowd. While the Rovers full back was having his name taken, O’Dowda got his on the scoresheet 10 minutes before half time. Rovers missed the opportunity to play offside as Weimann slipped in O’Dowda whose shot beat Kaminski via a deflection off Wharton.

Rovers were then rocking as Ayman Benarous threatened a goal as the hosts danced through a succession of Rovers tackles before the midfielder dragged his effort wide of the target.

A change always felt likely for Rovers, but Mowbray wouldn’t have wanted it to come in the circumstances he did. Poveda went down following an innocuous incident with Tomas Kalas before the stretcher was soon called for. Daniel Ayala was called for from the bench as Rovers moved to a back three.

Rovers ended their wait for a corner in the 49th minute, but still hadn’t had a shot, something Lewis Travis tried to change when lining one up from 25 yards, only to see it blocked.

It needed to be better from Rovers, and it was, with more intensity to their play, but there was still a wait for a chance.

The travelling supporters had been calling for him, and got their wish on the hour as Joe Rothwell came on. Rovers did end their wait for a shot in the phase of play before his arrival, stopping the watch at 59:01 for their first shot of the day as Buckley curled wide after good work from Brereton down the right.

Clarkson soon followed, replacing Nyambe as Buckley moved to wing-back, an area of the field where Rovers had really struggled.

It was starting to become a replica of so many games last season where Rovers were enjoying the majority of possession but struggling to find their way through.

But as so often it was their talisman, Brereton, who drew them level 15 minutes from time. Buckley’s cross seemed hopeful, but when only headed to the feet of Brereton he had no other though than to thump it goalwards and his shot nestled into the roof of the net from the tightest of angles.

Rovers then almost grabbed an unlikely second, Brereton leading the charge to find Clarkson whose cross teed up fellow sub Rothwell as his volley flashed wide of the post.

Nahki Wells’ introduction was greeted by jeers from the away end, but he was almost celebrating infront of them as he glanced a Massengo cross goalwards, but the outstretched arm of Kaminski tipped it away.

Five added minutes brought a few nerves, but the arrival of Ayala certainly shored things up for Rovers defensively.

Bristol City: Bentley, Williams, Martin (Semenyo, 70) , O'Dowda, Weimann, Bakinson, Baker, Kalas, Vyner, Scott (Wells, 83), Benarous (Massengo, 64)

Subs: O'Leary, Simpson, Atkinson, Pring

Rovers: Kaminski, Nyambe (Clarkson, 67), Lenihan, Wharton, Edun, Travis, Davenport (Rothwell, 60), Buckley, Poveda (Ayala, 44), Brereton, Khadra

Subs: Pears, Johnson, Dolan, Butterworth