BRISTOL CITY’S 1-0 defeat to Sheffield United ended in ugly scenes as George Tanner’s shocking red card challenge on James McAtee led to a mass brawl.
Nigel Pearson’s side were becoming increasingly frustrated in the sixth minute of added time as the Blades moved towards victory in the Championship match at Ashton Gate.
And their anger boiled over when Tanner’s horrific late tackle sent McAtee flying.
It was a dangerous lunge which left the Sheffield United man down injured on the turf.
McAtee’s team-mates were furious with Tanner as both sets of players embroiled themselves in an angry altercation.
And while Bristol City boss Pearson admitted after the match that it was the correct decision to send Tanner off, he also claimed the game was already out of control.
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Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “What I said when I came off the pitch I don’t like it when the officials don’t give us true information in how long there is in the game.
“The sending-off is a red card there is no doubt about that but I would suggest also that in the lead-up to that the control in the game was lost.
“They wasted time very well, congratulations to them for doing that.
“I would be happy if my team was able to sort of run the clock down in that way too.”
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The result sees Sheffield United move up to third in the Championship, three points behind league leaders Burnley and just one off second place Blackburn.
Meanwhile, Bristol City are down in 14th after a run of three games without a win.
The division is incredibly tight after nearly three months of the season, with just nine points separating the play-off places from the relegation zone.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
