Bristol City 1 Sheffield Wednesday 1: Jones outraged as Owls struggle to break free

Jones was convinced goalkeeper Chris Kirkland had been fouled by Marvin Elliott as he came off his line to intercept a cross.

Sam Baldock volleyed home the loose ball to give bottom club Bristol City a point they deserved and Jones could hardly contain his anger with referee Darren Deadman.

“It was a forearm smash by Elliott. Anywhere else on the pitch it would have been a free-kick,” he said. “We had taken everything City could throw at us and all you ask is a fair deal from the match officials.

“We have had trouble with this referee before. If he had done his job we would have been going home with three points, but I get tired of saying that sort of thing.

“We scored a great goal and Chris Kirkland has hardly had a shot to save. I feel so frustrated for my players. The relegation battle is going down to the wire. But we knew that before this game.”

Jermaine Johnson raced clear to shoot Wednesday in front on 36 minutes after robbing Liam Fontaine and rounding goalkeeper Tom Heaton.

The goal came after the home side had created the best first-half chances. Defender Lewin Nyatanga forced a fine save from Kirkland after the ball broke to him inside the box and Kirkland also did well to keep out a low drive from Steve Davies, who was inches away from converting Liam Kelly’s driven cross on 26 minutes.

The home side should have equalised just before the break when the lively Baldock got behind Wednesday’s defence only to direct his low cross just beyond the stretching Davies. It did not look like being City’s day, when Greg Cunningham went down under challenge from Kieran Lee all he got was a booking for diving from referee Deadman.

Home boss Sean O’Driscoll said: “We deserved more. Our spirit has not been broken and we will keep on battling. I am not going to comment on the penalty incident. The ref called it as he saw it.”

Bristol City: Heaton, Moloney, Nyatanga, Fontaine, Cunningham, Kelly (Kilkenny 68), Skuse (Anderson 83), Elliott, Pearson (Adomah 68), Baldock, Davies. Unused substitutes: Gerken, Louis Carey, Howard, Bates.

Sheffield Wednesday: Kirkland, Lee, Gardner, Llera, R Johnson, Prutton, Pugh, Coke (Semedo 77), J Johnson (Lita 52), Howard (Madine 63), Helan. Unused substitutes: Bywater, Taylor, Maguire, Mattock. 36.

Referee: D Deadman (Cambridgeshire).