It was a small gesture but one that could go a long way as following a challenging 45 minutes at right-back for Bristol City in which he looked every inch the 19-year-old still learning his trade, Sam Bell was taken off at half-time by Nigel Pearson.
That Ashton Gate changing room must have been a lonely place for Bell as his teammates returned to the field to try and salvage something from the game, which they ultimately failed, meaning the teenager’s selection was among the main topics of debate after the game.
Not that it was all Bell’s fault, of course, he was picked in a largely unfamiliar position in only his 14th professional appearance against a natural winger in Onel Hernandez who had one of his best performances of the season in exploiting one of the Championship’s most vulnerable defensive units.
