Bristol City 2-1 Town - Match Report
Saturday, 13th Feb 2016 17:15

Two identikit first-half headers from Aden Flint saw Bristol City to a 2-1 victory over the Blues at Ashton Gate, sub Brett Pitman pulling one back for Town after the break against his old club.

Town boss Mick McCarthy handed Ben Pringle and Kevin Foley their Blues debuts in a 3-5-2 system with Foley and Jonas Knudsen wing-backs and Christophe Berra in the middle of the three central defenders. Kevin Bru took up Cole Skuse’s usual anchor role in midfield with the Bristolian one of those on Town’s lengthy injury list.

Chances were rare in the opening quarter of an hour, Pringle shot against a defender, then the on-loan Fulham man saw a cross from the left cut out.

Bristol City went close to going in front in the 17th minute when a Luke Freeman freekick was cleared to Korey Smith, who hit a shot through a crowd of players which took a deflection and Bartosz Bialkowski, last week’s man of the match at QPR, made a superb reaction save down to his left to keep it out.

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But three minutes later, the Robins went in front when Flint headed the first goal of new manager Lee Johnson’s time as boss, across goal and into the net off the post from Luke Freeman’s corner on the right.

Freddie Sears shot wide after good work from Pringle and Sears as the Blues looked to get back on terms, then Bristol City skipper Smith curled a shot not far past the post.

There was a scare for the home side on 27 when keeper Richard O’Donnell’s clearance hit Maitland-Niles, but the on-loan Arsenal man was unable to profit from it.

The Blues switched their formation to 4-4-2 with Foley moving to the centre of midfield with Bru and skipper Luke Chambers to right-back. Pringle moved to the left with Maitland-Niles on the right.

On 33, with Town increasingly on top, Tommy Smith shot wide following a corner, but two minutes later the home side doubled their lead with Flint again the man on target, once again heading home a Freeman corner from the right.

The Blues were unable to pull a goal back before the break and the scoreline remained 2-0 at half-time. That both goals came from set pieces is unlikely to have gone down well with manager McCarthy.

Eight minutes after the restart, former Robin Brett Pitman replaced Ainsley Maitland-Niles, allowing Sears to move to right midfield. Moments later, Smith did well to block Kodjia’s shot from the right of the area.

Daryl Murphy chased a ball over the top in the 55th minute and hit a shot which O’Donnell did well to block. From the resultant corner, Chambers headed over, while being manhandled according to the Blues captain.

The Blues were beginning to threaten more and more and just after the hour mark Murphy forced O’Donnell into a superb save from a powerful header down to the keeper’s left from Sears’s cross from the right.

Pringle sent the ball back in from the left, Murphy nodded back across goal and Pitman flicked his header wide.

But the ex-Bristol City man wasn’t to be denied a goal for long. In the 62nd minute Murphy sent the Jersey-born striker away on goal towards the left and he held off his man before shooting low across O’Donnell and into the net to claim his 10th goal of the season.

As promised, Town’s reluctant super sub celebrated against his old club but without going over the top.

Luke Varney replaced promising debutant Pringle on 67, seconds before Freeman sent a dangerous ball across the Blues area.

The Robins were looking the more threatening side with Bialkowski making another impressive stop when he pushed sub Kieran Agard’s low shot past the post, before Bristol City skipper Smith screwed an effort across the face of goal.

Foley picked up the first yellow card of his time with Town for a somewhat cynical pullback on Agard as the home side broke following a corner.

On 76 Smith seemed certain to restore the home side’s two-goal lead when he was found in space in the area but superbly got across to challenge.

Soon after, Bialkowski made another excellent save down to his right from Nathan Baker’s header from Marlon Pack’s freekick, although referee Tony Harrington had already blown his whistle for a foul.

With the game now in its final 10 minutes, a Varney cross from the right deflected out to Smith, who hit a powerful shot which flew just wide of O’Donnell’s goal.

But it was Bristol City who were looking the more dangerous side, Joe Bryan failing to find the target with a volley and Bialkowski making another save from Smith, although with the flag having been raised.

Larsen Touré replaced Foley as the game moved into five minutes of injury time, then - after Christophe Berra had found the net from but with the referee having pulled back play - Smith went close to putting the Blues back on terms. The New Zealand international did well to get to Knudsen’s freekick from deep but headed just wide.

However, the home side saw the rest of the additional minutes out comfortably and referee Harrington’s whistle confirmed Town’s fourth successive away defeat in all competitions, three in the Championship.

Having gone two goals down in the first half, the Blues always faced an uphill struggle. Pitman’s goal gave them a lifeline but despite having chances they never really put the Robins under significant pressure having reduced the lead, while at the other end the again excellent Bialkowski remained the busier of the two keepers.

The result and Birmingham’s 0-0 draw at Rotherham sees the Blues drop to eighth behind the Midlanders on goal difference and now three points behind Derby, who are now sixth following their 1-0 home defeat to the MK Dons, Sheffield Wednesday having climbed to fifth via their 4-0 victory over Brentford.

Bristol City: O’Donnell, Little, Flint, Baker, Golbourne, Pack, Smith (c), Tomlin (Agard 64), Bryan (Wagstaff 88), Freeman, Kodjia (Wilbraham 63). Subs: Fielding, Vyner, Pearce, Reid.

Town: Bialkowski, Foley (Touré 90), Chambers (c), Berra, Smith, Knudsen, Pringle (Varney 67), Bru, Maitland-Niles (Pitman 53), Sears, Murphy. Subs: Henly, Kenlock, Digby, Tabb. Referee: Tony Harrington (Cleveland). Att: 15,736 (Town: 1,443).

Photo: Action Images

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ChestnutSe added 18:15 - Feb 13

Just got in and seen tHe result. Disappointing but not unexpected. Like all the teams in this division you have to be at the top of your game to get a result. We are missing key players and they had the new manager effect as well. Good to see Pitman on the score sheets as well. See we conceded from 2 corners, Mick won't be happy about that.

Onwards and upwards. We are still in contention and a long way to go. I expect it will go to the last couple of weeks of the season like last year. With significant absentees the team will need the home support behind them.

itsonlyme added 18:15 - Feb 13 I have been saying it for some time now. We are stuck in a vacuum, with no hope of going up. Just an average championship side! Something very big has got to happen to enable us to change our fortunes. Unfortunately it ain't going to happen!
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therein61 added 18:15 - Feb 13

I'm sitting in my local after driving back from Bristol(12 miles only thank Christ after the miles I've covered this season home and away!!!) trying over a pint to find a reason to keep spending more of my hard earned on crap like I've seen today I take no pleasure in saying this, but only one man is to blame and that is Mick he has continued to persevere with disjointed error prone back 4 which has cost us another 3 points today(Bart kept the score down yet again!!) and loads more before today for a defender of his stature his coaching of defending set pieces is nothing more than a joke!!(either that or the favourites don't listen on the training field as they know their places are cemented in) we are not good enough simple as that, if I performed at work as he does I would have been sacked(oops I'm self employed i'll give myself the boot Monday!!) but he gets a new contract for basically failing(he picked us up when down and stabilised us thank you!) and there is no way he can take us any further with his blinkered don't give a toss attitude.

itsonlyme added 18:18 - Feb 13 Therein61 - absolutely spot on!
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blue24 added 18:18 - Feb 13 All these Evans out people, are you offering your money to service the debt? Have any suggestion who would like to come in and take our debt? If not then maybe shutting up is a good idea.
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marco007 added 18:19 - Feb 13

Another, dull, dross and insipid performance today and I seriously getting fed up paying good money to watch this! After a few years at the helm I can count on at the most two hands the amount of games that I can genuinely say that I have watched good football.
Yes, we have had a degree of success (if avoiding a relegation scrap is a sign of progress) but the football we have witnessed has on the whole been awful. Long, aimless balls thumped up the pitch, barely any passing, possession based football and a reliance on a work ethos to grind out results.
I am getting fed up with comments from Mick about how hard we work, how the players all put in a
shift, when the reality is that it is just so damn awful to watch.
Think I need a break from all this as I have wasted enough time and money living in hope that things will change.
We either invest and move forward or carry on with the same old mediocrity!

essex57 added 18:21 - Feb 13 Length Brenda you must read these posts differently to me then
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itfcbam added 18:21 - Feb 13

True but we are mid table in all aspects, financially, attendence, resources. While I for one do not want to accept this as just the status quo, we do however need to tread careful with our next move. MM and TC have done a superb job in pulling us away from where we were 3 years ago that we are now considered to be a team that is around the play off picture. We are above many "bigger" teams and are competing amongst teams with greater resources.
Let's stop kidding ourselves that we are a big club in this division and have a divine right to be near the top. There are at least a dozen teams, if not more, with greater resources. We are there with hard graft and normally togetherness within the management team and squad.
I'm currently on the fence as to whether a change is necessary as always in my mind is where we were with 2 so called decent managers before who spent far more than MM. We just need to be careful and not knee jerk.

essex57 added 18:27 - Feb 13 Itfcbam agree as I've said all season not that anybody gives me the courtesy of listening let's see where we are in may before making decisions not that what we think will have any bearing on the outcome sorry if that upsets prebsa prebs009 blue boy and gang
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leroygibbs added 18:27 - Feb 13

Our once great club is now mediocre at best, no ambition, no respect for all the loyal fans who have stuck with the club through years of Championship, mid table dross. I cannot see things changing until we get ambitious new owner, who will provide the funds to achieve what the fans deserve. And a new manager who is young, has a footballing mind which will translate to better , attractive performances on the pitch. At the moment it is so depressing seeing the continued demise of this once great and proud club.

atty added 18:28 - Feb 13 I JUST WANT TO SEE SOME DECENT FOOTBALL FFS!
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essexboy added 18:28 - Feb 13

Some posters on here really should STOP being fence sitters and grasp the situation.We all know about the non available funds,but come on lads,just who picks the team and brings in the players to this club.MM.Our squad is very very poor and the bench is even worse.We have players playing out of position and MM cannot see this but we the supporters can.So,who is to blame for poor results,people get sacked for less.we are just not good enough and never will be with the squad we have,most of us agree on here.Those of you who don't and just keep papering over the cracks need to get in the real world.I rest my case.

HackneyBlue added 18:29 - Feb 13

Interesting- There were 2 sets of fans a few weeks ago,those who were happy to see sunday league quality football as long as the play offs were in reach and those like myself who demand a bit more entertainment for the huge lay out one gives.
If town lose touch its win at any cost supporters will join the we demand more supporters and gates and ST renewels will nosedive as we know the same people in charge will be there next season,last season was a good season but we have not moved on the football is shocking and uninspiring and fans will decide with their feet.
depressing!!

MVBlue added 18:30 - Feb 13 A very dodgy time for the club.
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itfcbam added 18:30 - Feb 13 Very poor squad. We are 8th 3 points off the play offs. 3 years ago we were BOTTOM. Perspective please! We have moved forward in many aspects from then.
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Bluetone added 18:34 - Feb 13 Be interesting to see what ploy is used this year to maximise season ticket sales.
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blueboy1981 added 18:37 - Feb 13 Bluetone - absolutely. Will be very interesting because the spin, or action preferably - I feel will need to be impressive.
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therein61 added 18:41 - Feb 13 I would love to be a fly on the wall in our academy dressing room!!!!!
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essex57 added 18:41 - Feb 13 Blue boy if it upset me that much I would give up my season ticket
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prebsa added 18:44 - Feb 13 Essex57 really is outdoing himself tonight marking down everyone and everything then just turning on supporters. Just look at the total of - marks on your profile -280 at the moment and growing I'm sure. Just stay away!
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blueboy1981 added 18:52 - Feb 13 essex57 ......... you're such a laughing stock - very few value your opinion anyway.
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essex57 added 19:00 - Feb 13 Prebsa and blue boy make up 50% of my down marks it's only a game of football for gods sake in the days before fan sites we used go to the games if we list have a moan then go to the pub,if you felt that aggrieved you would write a letter to the manager and get a polite reply now the Internet allows every tom dick and Harry has there say unfortunately mostly rubbish
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Bert added 19:00 - Feb 13

Giving MM a new contract is simply a business deal. There are plenty of clubs in the Championship, and a couple in the Premier League, who would seriously consider MM because of his knowledge and man management skills. If they did come in for him, the compensation would be much more.
Would a change of manager and owner bring a turn in our fortunes? Probably not but let's all see at the end of the season.