Josh Onomah allows Aston Villa to earn draw at Bristol City

Nick Potts/PA Wire

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Josh Onomah struck a 64th-minute equaliser to earn Aston Villa a point from a full-blooded Championship clash with Bristol City at Ashton Gate.

The on-loan Tottenham midfielder's well-struck shot from 25 yards took a deflection off Marlon Pack to leave City goalkeeper Frank Fielding grasping at thin air.

Four minutes earlier the hosts had gone in front. Villa failed to clear a free-kick on the edge of their box, awarded for a foul by John Terry on Bobby Reid, and Jamie Paterson pounced to score with a low left-footed shot from 12 yards.

City were unlucky when a chip from the right by Eros Pisano bounced back off the inside of the far post on 76 minutes.

But it was a fair result to a game played at frantic pace by two teams looking to be positive from first whistle to last.

Villa began brightly and took just five minutes to get a shot on target, Andre Green's powerful effort from inside the box parried by Fielding.

City took 10 minutes longer to test Sam Johnstone and then Jamie Paterson's shot from distance was comfortably dealt with by the Villa keeper.

As the home side began to press, Famara Diedhiou forced another save from Johnstone with a shot from a narrow angle.

The best first-half chance fell to Villa's Ahmed Elmohamady on 41 minutes when he found space on the right of the penalty area, but Fielding advanced quickly to block his shot.

The visitors finished the half on top, with Conor Hourihane having a shot blocked and Fielding doing well to intercept a dangerous Elmohamady cross.

Terry and Chris Samba had been rock-solid at the back for Villa but Samba failed to appear for the second half, his place taken by James Bree.

Villa, though, continued where they had left off as Onomah forced a low save from Fielding.

Then came a goal for each side in quick succession, starting when Paterson rounded off a scramble in the box with a powerful finish.

Onomah immediately hit back and the 3,000-plus Villa fans in the 21,542 crowd reacted boisterously.

Pisano was left holding his head when what looked like a cross found the inside of a post, but Villa remained a threat throughout and neither side deserved to lose.

City had a loud penalty appeal rejected for handball against Terry in the second half, but had to be content with their second draw in three home games.

Villa's latest recruit Robert Snodgrass was signed too late to make the first appearance of his season-long loan from West Ham.