Last updated on .From the section Championship

Ashley Williams' Bristol City debut came against another of his former clubs, Stoke

Swansea City missed the chance to return to the top of the Championship as Bristol City extended their unbeaten run to seven games in a 0-0 stalemate.

Swansea forward Andre Ayew and the hosts' Famara Diedhiou both came close to getting a winner in a tense affair.

The visitors had defender Jake Bidwell sent off in stoppage time for a straight red card offence.

Swansea remain second in the Championship on goal difference with Bristol City in the play-off positions.

A lack of cutting edge and some smart defending from both sides ensured there was no breakthrough.

Swansea least managed to avoid a second defeat in a week having spoilt their own undefeated run in last week's home defeat by Nottingham Forest.

But it was a former Swansea stalwart, Ashley Williams, who would have enjoyed the result more, impressing on his home debut with a solid display to help the Robins to a clean sheet.

Lee Johnson's Bristol City have not lost since the opening day of the season and they could have moved into second themselves had they found more of an attacking edge.

It took 34 minutes before a shot was delivered on target and even then Josh Brownhill's free-kick was curled routinely into the arms of Freddie Woodman.

It had been Brownhill himself who had been hacked down for the set-piece, though the initial attack was engineered by first-half substitute Diediou who had provided a greater threat to Johnson's side, shorn of the services of long-term injury victim Benik Afobe.

He could have added real significance to his early impact had his touch on Callum O'Dowda's 39th minute centre not squirmed past the far post.

Through Ayew, Swansea had an outlet to worry the hosts and, with 18 minutes remaining, only the smart reactions of Bentley denied the Ghana forward after being played in on goal.

Swansea had to sweat in the final moments when they were reduced to 10 men following Bidwell's touchline lunge on Niclas Eliasson.

Swansea manager Steve Cooper told BBC Sport Wales:

"It's mixed feelings. We came here to win. We know they've been in good form but we wanted to be positive and take the game to the opposition, which I felt we did.

"I thought it was a good performance and the way the game went it was an average result. It's a game we should have won, we didn't, so we move on.

"[The Bidwell red card] was as yellow as they come. I've spoken to the referee. The linesman made the decision and I felt where it was on the pitch, in front of the opposition dug-out, had a big effect on it.

"I can understand, it's a big moment and they are human but it's a it's a poor decision and we don't agree with it. It's a foul, but to send him off was a bit of a weak decision, weak mentality."

Bristol City manager Lee Johnson said:

"I'm not sat here happy that we haven't won, but at the same time I appreciate it was a hard-fought Championship game against a good side that caused us problems.

"We were full of endeavour had the better chances in the first half in terms of areas of the pitch, but they showed more guile than we did.

"That was disappointing and it's fair for me to demand that quality now. It was a bit hot potato from us with the ball.

"I'm not displeased with a point but at the same time I do want a little bit more from the lads."