IT feels like the opening eight games of City’s season have been characterised by late goals and there was yet another in Saturday’s encounter at Ashton Gate with Derby County.

A crowd of 19,451 were in attendance as manager Lee Johnson once again rang the changes following last week’s last-gasp defeat at Sheffield Wednesday.

There were four changes in total with Fielding and Reid earning recalls, whilst Paterson and Ekstrand made their City debuts. City’s boss also switched to a 3-5-2 formation, the favoured system of his predecessor Steve Cotterill.

Derby had scored only once in their first seven league outings but took the lead in an uninspiring opening period.

City have been sloppy at the back of late and it was another individual error – from Aden Flint – that lead to the opening goal.

A long ball was played forward by the visitors and Flint’s attempted header back to Fielding instead found Derby’s Anya who lifted the ball over the on-rushing ‘keeper to make it 1-0.

At half-time Johnson switched to a 4-2-3-1 formation as Freeman was brought on for Ekstrand. As City pushed for an equaliser they left themselves exposed at the back and The Rams has several great opportunities to kill the game but Fielding was inspired in the City goal.

With just seconds of the game remaining Reid found space in the box and crossed the ball to substitute Wilbraham who tapped the ball home from a few yards to give City a point.

We have to improve defensively if we are going to climb the Championship table, hopefully starting at Fulham this Saturday (3pm).

City will be hoping for a repeat of last season’s dramatic 2-1 win at Craven Cottage last season when Lee Tomlin popped up with a late winner courtesy of a stunning free-kick.

The Cottagers have had a decent start to the season having lost just once of their opening 8 games. But I feel the West Londoners are not as strong as they were last season and our improved squad should prove a match for them.