Championship side Bristol City earned a deserved draw against West Ham at London Stadium to force an FA Cup third-round replay.
The Hammers wasted little time in moving through the gears against their Championship opponents, opening the scoring with just four minutes on the clock.
Jarrod Bowen continued his red-hot form by scoring his 14th goal of the campaign after rounding goalkeeper Max O’Leary and squeezing the ball under the body of defender Cameron Pring on the line.
But Bristol City, who boast the joint-fourth best defensive record in the Championship, refused to allow that early setback to define the manner in which the game would unfold, showing bravery on the ball and unity in defence to find a foothold in the tie.
Sam Bell and Rob Dickie both had opportunities to level for the Robins but Lukasz Fabianski stood firm on both occasions to keep West Ham’s lead intact.
The Robins returned for the second period with intent, playing the majority of their football in West Ham’s half of the field, and their willingness to commit to the attack paid dividends when academy graduate Tommy Conway found space behind the Hammers’ backline before drilling beyond Fabianski.
Clear-cut chances for the visitors were few and far between after they drew level and they had to hang on in the closing stages as Danny Ings and Divin Mubama both went close.
Conway told Match of the Day: “To come to a Premier League team and take a draw is something we would have taken before the game so we’re happy to force the replay.
“The bounce back we had was good. It could have been easy to crumble and go two or three down.
“Every time I score for this club it always means the world to me, especially in front of my family. I could see them when I was celebrating.
“Moments like that rank really highly. It’s a result where we can go again and hopefully win the second leg.”
Robins good for the draw
It could have been a rocky afternoon for the Robins when O’Leary was left to pick the ball out of his own net so early on.
David Moyes’ team selection indicated that he clearly wanted to see his side through to the fourth round of the competition but that plan backfired.
Not only did they look fatigued at times, struggling to settle into a rhythm as Bristol City pressed and pushed to win possession, but Moyes has also been left counting the cost of three injuries.
Brazil midfielder Lucas Paqueta and Greece defender Konstantinos Mavropanos were both substituted in the first half with issues, while goalscorer Bowen finished the game but required treatment at the full-time whistle before subsequently limping down the tunnel.
With ambitions to maintain a push for a European berth in the Premier League and a last-16 tie to come in the Europa League, the last thing Moyes wanted was a replay in the FA Cup.
