Bristol City 1 Cardiff City 1

The FA Cup third round replay between Bristol City and Cardiff City at Ashton Gate on Tuesday Jan 12, 2009.

Gavin Williams came off the bench to fire in an injury-time equaliser which denied 2008 FA Cup finalists Cardiff City a passage into the fourth round of this season’s competition.

Michael Chopra’s 76th-minute wonder goal looked to have won it for the Bluebirds, but Williams found the corner of David Marshall’s net three minutes into added time to set up a replay in the Welsh capital.

Bristol City, who had not won since early December, made light of the wintry conditions that had put this rearranged tie in doubt. Liam Fontaine struck an upright with a header, then Paul Hartley blazed wide.

Cardiff started carelessly before beginning to show the kind of form that has taken them into fourth place in the Championship. Ross McCormack forced Dean Gerken into a smart save from a free-kick before Peter Whittingham’s drive was, somewhat fortuitously, deflected for a corner.

Cardiff full-back Adam Matthews survived a confident shout for handball against him on half an hour, but the highly rated youngster, 18 today, would have impressed his many admirers within an accomplished performance.

But without Jay Bothroyd to lead the line, Cardiff struggled to find a way behind Louis Carey and Fontaine, whilst Gary Johnson’s side were equally lightweight up front, where Nicky Maynard made precious little impression.

Bristol dominated the opening quarter of the second half but there was little to warm the hearts of the home crowd until a Cole Skuse free-kick flashed just wide.

When Cardiff finally awoke, Anthony Gerrard tested Gerken with a downward header and Chopra was blocked at the near post by Jamie McAllister’s intervention.

The deadlock was broken when Gerken’s miscued clearance fell to Chopra on the touchline and the striker somehow found the net for his first goal in 14 games. However, it was Williams who had the final say, lashing home from 20 yards.

Bristol City (4-4-2): Gerken; Orr, Carey, Fontaine, McAllister (Akinde 81); Haynes, Elliott, Hartley (Williams 73), Skuse; Clarkson (Saborio h-t), Maynard. Booked: Orr, McAllister.

Cardiff City (4-4-2) Marshall; Matthews, Hudson, Gerrard, McNaughton; Rae (Taiwo 39), Whittingham, Ledley, Wildig; Chopra, McCormack (Feeney 72). Booked: McCormack,

Referee: D Deadman (Cambridgeshire).