Gavin Williams scored a tremendous injury-time equaliser to rescue a replay for Bristol City in the FA Cup third-round tie with Cardiff City.
The Welshman arrived at the edge of the area to meet Nicky Maynard's square ball perfectly, Williams blasting a low shot across the diving David Marshall.
Michael Chopra had given Cardiff a 76th-minute lead when his touchline lob caught Dean Gerken out of position.
The replay will be held on Tuesday, 19 January at the Cardiff City Stadium.
With the original date for this game having been postponed because of the freezing weather sweeping the country, there were some nervous glances skywards as fresh show swirled around Ashton Gate.
But Robins groundstaff had worked hard to ensure the game would go ahead and both sets of players went to work with gusto in the icy night air.Then on 76 minutes Chopra produced a moment of skill and opportunism to break the deadlock.
Warren Feeney chased what seemed to be a lost cause down the right but did enough to cause Robins keeper Gerken to botch his kick.
The ball fell to Chopra tight on the touchline and the striker curled a sublime first-time chip over the despairing Gerken into the Bristol net - his first goal since 29 September.Then two minutes into injury Maynard collected the ball on the Cardiff 'D', held off his marker and laid the ball perfectly into the path of Williams arriving on the right.
The Wales midfielder barely had to break stride and clattered a pin-point shot into the far corner to deny the club he supported as a youngster.
Although denied the win tonight, Cardiff will at least have home-field advantage in a week's time for the replay that will decided who advances to meet Leicester in the fourth round.
www.bbc.co.uk
After the run of 7 (seven) consecutive defeats, Plymouth noticed two victories, over the fellows from the bottom - Peterborough United (2-1 at home) and against “you’ll never know what to expect from us” - Scunthorpe United (2-1 on the road). Another defeat (at Blackpool, 0-2) turned them back into relegation zone. After the game, boss Paul Sturrock stated the main reason for defeat is 11 hours spent in the bus! Hm…,ok. The problem is squad didn’t return to Devon after the game and spent two days at Stoke-on-Trent (half of the distance). So, players won’t be much more rested than at Saturday. Sturrock announced intention to fresh the squad with new players (what players?!) but the question is are the lads from the bench capable to improve the team’s shape and help to resist at one hell’s place, as Ashton Gate surely is. Club’s officials have insisted that Paul Sturrock's job as manager is safe (those statements usually means opposite) despite the arrival of former Argyle and England striker Paul Mariner as head coach. And Blackpool defeat didn’t help. However, lack of quality, tired players, bad dressing room atmosphere and manager who lost control should be the main reasons (in that order) why I (guess nobody) don’t expect them to take anything from this encounter. Except mentioned freshening the squad, no other injury concerns for Sturrock.
Bristol City came into this season with same ambitions, top half of the table and every chance for something more should be used. So far, they play over the expectations. At their home Ashton Gate, the Robins are brilliant with all three wins, over Crystal Palace 1-0, QPR 1-0 and Championship giants Middlesbrough 2-1. And despite not so good record on the road (two draws and defeat in three games and nine games without an away win in the league (two draws, seven defeats)), club show some signs of big potential and announce a battle for the biggest surprise of the season. The main reason for their good displays is young striker Nicky Maynard, who has netted five goals so far this season (from City’s seven). He functions very well with on-loan Costa Rican Alvaro Saborio in attacking line and these duo was meritorious for last good result, 1-1 in Coventry, Maynard – goal, Saborio – assist. City’s play was always characterized with iron defence and tight midfield, game “for a goal less”. Now, it’s got a new dimension and they could make some very good displays and results this season. Defenders Bradley Orr and Lewin Nyatanga have fully recovered from illness. Only missing will be striker John Akinde who is out for a month with an ankle injury. 
