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Live Commentary: Cardiff City 0-0 Bristol City - as it happened

Relive Sports Mole's live coverage of the Championship match between Cardiff City and Bristol City.
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Cardiff City and Bristol City played out a goalless draw in the Severnside derby at the Cardiff City Stadium in the Championship.

Jonathan Kodjia came close to opening the scoring on several occasions for the visitors, while also having a goal ruled out for offside.

Meanwhile, Sammy Ameobi and Anthony Pilkington both missed the target inside the final five minutes for Russell Slade's men.

Read how all the action unfolded below.


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Good evening! It's just half an hour until Cardiff City and Bristol City go head to head at the Cardiff City Stadium. Let's start with a look at the teams.

CARDIFF CITY STARTING XI: Marshall, Peltier, Morrison, Connolly, Fabio, Dikgacoi, Gunnarsson, Whittingham, Noone, Revell, Mason

BRISTOL CITY STARTING XI: Fielding, Bennett, Ayling, Fling, Baker, Williams, Smith, Pack, Freeman, Wilbraham, Kodija

CARDIFF CITY SUBSTITUTES: Moore, Ralls, Pilkington, Tamas, O'Keefe, Malone, Ameobi

BRISTOL CITY SUBSTITUTES: Hamer, Little, Cox, Agard, Reid, Moore, Bryan

So, both sides have named unchanged starting lineups for this evening. Cardiff have Joe Ralls back in their matchday squad, but he's only fit enough to be on the bench.

Cardiff should be full of confidence coming into this match, having beaten high-flying Middlesbrough in their last outing thanks to a late goal from George Friend. Victory for the Bluebirds this evening would lift them up to seventh in the table, just a point outside the playoff places.

Bristol City head into this match off the back of their first defeat in four matches, with Bobby Zamora coming off the bench to score a late winner for Brighton & Hove Albion at the weekend.

This will be the first time that the two clubs, who are separated by just 26 miles, have met since the 2012-13 season. When the two sides were last it the same division, the home side came out on top in both meetings, while Cardiff are unbeaten in their last four home matches against tonight's opponents.

Ahead of this match, Russell Slade told reporters: "Every game gets bigger. It's our neighbours and I'm looking forward to a good atmosphere. It should be a good game with both teams trying to get points. They are improving and they are adjusting in the division. They are investing in a couple of players. They've got a system they have played under Steve for a long time."

Meanwhile, Bristol City boss Steve Cotterill has been causing controversy in the build up to this fixture, which is often referred to as the Severnside Derby, questioning whether it's actually a derby. He told reporters: "You say it's a derby. The only derby I know involving Bristol City is against Bristol Rovers really. It doesn't matter anyway, whether it's a derby game or not, we want to play well and win."

Joe Mason will likely be the main danger man for Cardiff this evening, having netted five goals in 12 appearances in the Championship so far this season. Jonathan Kodjia has been in impressive form for the visitors though, with six goals in 12 league appearances.

The players are making their way out of the tunnel ready for kickoff. Bristol City haven't won in Cardiff since 2002, meaning they've never won at the Cardiff City Stadium, which opened in 2009.

KICKOFF! The home side get the match underway.

The visitors try to build some pressure in the opening moments of the match, with Marlon Pack playing the ball across to Luke Freeman, who manages to win a throw in. Korey Smith tries to find a gap as he runs at the Cardiff penalty area, but he runs out of space.

Fabio wants a penalty as he's pulled down by Freeman while looking to race down the flank for Cardiff, although it did appear Freeman got the ball. That allows the visitors to press back down the other end and force the first corner of the match.

CHANCE! The initial ball in from the corner is cleared, but Pack is there to play it back in, setting up Aaron Wilbraham for the header, but David Marshall is alert to it and makes the save.

Noone gets into a tangle down the other end, winning a free kick around 25 yards out. Peter Whittingham curls it in looking for Joe Mason, but Aden Flint is there to head it clear for the visitors.

Fabio is late to arrive as the Robins go on the counter-attack, leaving Bennett plenty of space to cross the ball in from the right, forcing the hosts to conceded another corner. Luke Ayling tries to climb above Fabio to get the header away, but he glances it wide.

Cardiff are starting to look more lively going forward, with Revell and Whittingham teaming up down the left wing before Gunnarrson forces Frank Fielding to parry his shot clear. The ball falls to Noone on the edge of the area, but the midfielder's finish is hurried, and goes both high and wipe.

Joe Mason gets the ball in the box for the first time this evening, but it appears there's some confusion between him and Whittingham, with the midfielder actually better placed to take the shot on. Mason appears to get caught in two minds, taking the shot on himself, but scuffing it to the nearest defender.

After a bright spell from Cardiff, the visitors get the ball back down the other end, with Nathan Baker winning a throw in, but the ball is knocked back out almost straight away. Chances have been pretty scarce so far, but both teams look keen to play attacking football.

CHANCE! Elliott Bennett sets Jonathan Kodjia up for what would have been the simplest of finished, but the striker is half a step late arriving in the six-yard box, leaving the ball to go straight out the other side.

Freeman weaves his way back in from a corner, dodging a tackle from Noone before trying to set up Wilbraham on the edge of the box, but he's not expecting the ball and can't make the most of it.

There's an injury worry for Bristol City as Nathan Baker appears to have picked up a knock while tracking back. It's not a contact injury, so could be a hamstring or other muscular issue. That's likely to be the end of his night.

SUB! Indeed, Nathan Baker is done with an apparent left hamstring injury so Joe Bryan comes on his place.

Peltier flicks the ball out wide brilliantly for Peter Whittingham, who hold the ball up allowing Revell and Mason to arrive in the box. Fielding comes off his line to try to clear, getting it all wrong, but there's a defender back to guide it around the post.

CHANCE! Cardiff's best chance of the match so far falls to Matthew Connolly as the defender rises up highest in the box to try to nod into the top right corner, glancing the ball just wide while being closely marked.

Both sides are struggling to keep possession as the visitors press towards the Cardiff goal, only for a wayward pass to go straight to Fabio. That allows Noone to make a run back towards the Robins' penalty area, but Fielding is ready to make the clearance.

Joe Bryan tries to make his first contribution since replacing Baker, playing the ball through for Pack. Crdiff clear the danger, but Bennett manages to flick it back in for Kodjia, but he's unable to outmuscle Connolly.

Bristol City are trying to slow the play down, with Ayling, Smith and Fielding passing the ball around at the back, before Williams brings it forward, but he fouls Gunnarsson to gift the ball straight back to the hosts. Neither team have really settled yet, this game could do with a goal to liven it up.

Williams, Pack and Bryan move it around in the middle for the visitors, before the latter delivers a diagonal ball to Bennett, but his cross it from the right is easily claimed by Marshall, who really hasn't had much to do so far.

Cardiff have started to look the more likely in the last couple of minutes, with Whittingham and Revell looking to get forward, but the hosts just can't find the final ball into the box to set Joe Mason up. The club's top scorer so far this season has been kept quiet throughout this first half.

Joe Bryan makes a run back down the other end, attempting to cross in for Wilbraham, but Peltier is there to turn it behind for a corner. Aden Flint attacks the corner, but Morrison does just enough to beat the defender to it. Having started to show some promise down the other end a couple of minutes ago, Cardiff are finishing the first half pinned back inside their own penalty area.

CHANCE! Korey Smith earns himself a talking to from the referee for tangling with Craig Noone, which also gives Cardiff a free kick. It's floated in to Revell, who attempts to nod it down for Gunnarsson, but it's cleared with ease by the visitors, allowing Kodjia to get a shot away down the other end moments later, but Marshall just gets a hand to the ball to tip the header header. The Cardiff fans aren't happy though as Gunnarsson remained down injured through the Bristol counter-attack.

HALF TIME: Cardiff City 0-0 Bristol City

So, Cardiff survive a late score in an otherwise uneventful first half at the Cardiff City Stadium. Bristol City have had the ball in the box more often than their opponents, but both have squandered chances. It's finely poised going into the second half.

The home side are still looking for their first shot on target, having failed to force a save from Frank Fielding with their first four shots of the night. Bristol City have had twice as many shots, but just two have troubled David Marshall, including the effort from Jonathan Kodjia just before the break.

As things stand, a draw would keep Cardiff eighth in the table, but Bristol City would jump above MK Dons into 20th - a point clear of the relegation zone.

The home side have made a big announcement during the half-time interval:


The player are starting to make their way back out ready for the start of the second half. Can either break the deadlock? We'll find out in the next 45 minutes.

RESTART! Bristol City get the second half underway at the Cardiff City Stadium.

CHANCE! Well Cardiff have certainly been quick out of the blocks in the second half. Noone takes a tumble in the box under pressure from Bryan, resulting in a penalty shout from the fans, while Joe Mason comes close moments later as Whittingham whips the ball back in, but the striker can't quite get his boot to it at the far post.

CHANCE! This has been much better from Cardiff! Revell makes a brilliant run down the left before attempting to find Mason with a low ball in. Korey Smith does just enough to get their first though, knocking it wide for a corner.

CHANCE! Dikgacoi meets the ball back in from the corner, but is a fraction late with his header, allowing the visitors to scramble it clear.

BOOKING! The referee dishes out the first card of the night after Aron Gunnarsson catches Luke Freeman late.

SUB! Dakgacoi appears to have injured himself trying to head in from the corner, resulting in him being replaced by Joe Ralls.

CHANCE! Bristol City get down the other end for the first time in the second half, with Luke Freeman unleashing a powerful strike from just outside the box, but Marshall is able to tip it away. From the resulting corner, Ralls loses Pack, leaving the midfielder with a free header, but it goes high.

Cardiff try to press back down the other end, having made such a bright start to the second half. Noone races through the middle, but lacks support in the box. The visitors are soon heading back towards the home side's penalty area, but Pack's strike is thumped into the path of Connolly, who is able to deflect it behind for a corner. It certainly feels like the opening goal is coming, but it's impossible to say at which end it's most likely to come.

Bristol City bring the ball out from the back again, with Ayling and Pack working the ball to Korey Smith, but Cardiff force them back inside their own half. The visitors are starting to look a lot more comfortable on the ball in the second half, having struggled to keep possession before the break.

Gunnarsson loses the ball in midfielder, allowing Freeman to play the ball through to Wilbraham, but the latter's square ball back in for Freeman fails to find its target.

Cardiff are soon piling down the other end, with Ayling failing to gather a loose ball, leaving Fabio to get a dangerous cross in from the left. The visitors force it behind for a corner, but Peltier is unable to get his shot away.

It's end to end stuff at the minute as Bristol City have another opportunity down the other end as Bennett fires the ball in low towards Kodjia, but the striker doesn't get there in time. The last touch came off a Cardiff boot though, so the visitors have a corner, which ends in a wide header from Flint.

SUB! Cardiff make their second change of the night, with Sammy Ameobi coming on for Craig Noone.

The Robins are continuing to see the majority of the possession, but have started to slow the game down again in the last couple of minutes. They win a throw in around 30 yards out though, which Ayling launches long, but the visitors can't create anything from it.

Williams keeps the ball on the left for the visitors, passing to Smith a couple of times while waiting for a gap to open up. The midfielder eventually takes it on from outside the penalty area though, blasting it hopelessly wide, much to the amusement of the Cardiff supporters.

Some of the away fans make an appeal for a penalty on behalf of Bristol City, but Joe Bryan didn't look too concerned after being brought down by a challenge from Lee Peltier, with the Cardiff defender having got plenty of the ball.

Revell gets forward again for the home side before cutting the ball back for Mason, but Flint makes the clearance. He only gets the ball as far as Ralls though, who quickly plays it back in for Mason, but Ayling is on hand to put it behind for a corner.

DISALLOWED GOAL! It's all happening in the Cardiff goalmouth as Joe Bryan picks up the ball inside the six yard box, attempting to stab it into the bottom right of the goal, only to see it come back off the base of the post. Kodjia thinks he's scored from the rebound, but he was offside as Bryan had his shot, so it won't count.

PENALTY APPEAL! Cardiff try to capitalise on Bristol City's disappointing with a quick charge down the other end. Aron Gunnarsson is floored under pressure from Luke Ayling, and is furious as the referee waves play on, claiming that the defender had a handful of his shirt, but the officials aren't interested.

SUB! The home side make their final change as Alex Revell goes off, leaving Anthony Pilkington to take his place.

Pack tries his luck with a long-range effort, but it's a comfortable save for Marshall. The visitors soon win it back, with Kodjia looking for support on the edge of the box, but his teammates are slow to arrive, allowing Cardiff to get it clear.

Sammy Ameobi has looked lively since coming on a short while back, and he makes a blistering run down the left before crossing in for Mason, but the striker can't get his arm out of the way in time, handling in the box to hand possession straight back to the visitors.

OFF THE POST! What more have Bristol City got to do to force the opening goal?! Bryan unleashes another powerful strike after breaking into the box, but Marshall manages to palm it clear. Bennett is ready to try to power the ball home on the rebound, but it hits the outside of the right post before going behind for a goal kick.

CHANCE! Cardiff's best chance of the night so for falls to Sammy Ameobi as he manages to sneak behind the Bristol City defenders to get a clear shot from just a couple of yards out, but the substitute somehow manages to tap it wide. Maybe Fielding would have saved it, but that really needed to be on target.

With three minutes of stoppage time to be played, the visitors head back down the other end, with Kodjia shoving Gunnarsson off the ball before rounding Sean Morrison and attempting to slice the ball in from a tight angle, but he can't quite curl it in.

CHANCE! Anthony Pilkington tries to squeeze the ball through a packed Bristol City area in a bid to find the bottom left corner, with Joe Ralls delivering the low cross, but Fielding holds on to it, although it did look like it was going wide.

FULL TIME: Cardiff City 0-0 Bristol City

It's been a slow burner, but what a frantic final 10 minutes that was! Joe Bryan and Jonathan Kodjia both had a couple of chances to win it for the visitors, while Sammy Ameobi and Anthony Pilkington spurned late chances for the hosts, ensuring that the sides share the spoils.

Probably the most disappointing stat for the home side will be their shots on target - they didn't force a genuine save from Frank Fielding once! The visitors had twice as many shots, with six on target, but were frustrated by David Marshall.

That's all from our live coverage of this match, but join us again tomorrow when we'll have action from the League Cup. Until then, thanks for joining me this evening. Goodbye.

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