Johnson- We had chances to win
07 Feb 2010 - 11:07:34
Beaten 6-0 by Cardiff in their previous home game, Bristol City desperately needed to lift their supporters with a victory but they looked on course for defeat when David Bell volleyed Coventry ahead less than a minute after the break.
Clarkson's low shot from Louis Carey's head-down made it 1-1, though, and staved off more criticism for the Robins.
Johnson admitted relief when the ball went in, having seen his side squander several good chances.
"In the end we did more than enough to win," he said. "There were plenty of opportunities as the game went on and we didn't quite show the quality to take them.
"We lost Jamal Campbell-Ryce with a calf strain in the warm-up and had to make a late change, bringing in Evander Sno.
"You can do without that sort of thing, but we improved as the match went on and feel we should have had all three points."
Clarkson had not scored since the opening day of the season, and was also laid low for five weeks by a mystery virus.
"Hopefully, this goal will be a new start for him," said Johnson. "He had to go through a second pre-season to get fit again after the illness and has worked very hard."
Coventry boss Chris Coleman was happy enough with a point after seeing his side defend in numbers from the first whistle.
"Bristol were better than us in the first half and we had to switch from 4-4-2 to match their five in midfield," he said.
"But they didn't cause us that many problems and in the end we might easily have nicked it in the closing minutes."
It was Coventry's first game since the departure to Newcastle of top scorer Leon Best and Coleman added: "It's no secret that we need to strengthen and I'm looking to sign two new strikers through the loan system, hopefully by the end of next week.
"I thought Freddy Eastwood and Clinton Morrison did a lot of unselfish running off the ball today, but we need more options in attack."
Bristol ran up against a brick wall in the first half. Coventry defender James McPake snuffed out their best opportunity with a superb 26th minute tackle on Nicky Maynard.
The first half passed without incident, but just 50 seconds into the second half Sammy Clingan had a shot blocked and Bell hammered Coventry in front from the rebound.
From then on it was backs to the wall for the visitors as Patrick Agyemang, substitute Danny Haynes and Clarkson all saw efforts pass just the wrong side of a post.
It looked as though it was not going to be Bristol's day and even after Clarkson's leveller, he headed wide with a great chance to clinch all three points.
